Assessment of Ear Nose and Throat morbidities prevalent in the school going children aged 5-14 years in rural area of Jamnagar
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: India is home to more than 400 million children forming about 35% of its total population. Upper respiratory tract infections predispose a child to complications such as otitis media, tonsillitis, and sinusitis that further contribute to morbidity leading to hearing impairment and learning disability & even RHD. Unfortunately these morbidities are either not detected or remain untreated making situation worse. \n \nAims and objectives:1. To assess the prevalence of common Ear Nose and Throat symptoms among children aged 5-14 years and to study its relationship with socio-demographic factors 2. To know regarding health seeking behavior in relations to Ear Nose and Throat morbidities. \n \nMaterials and method: A cross-sectional study was done over a period of 2 months among 300 school children aged 5-14 years of six government schools of Jamnagar district. Assessment was done through clinical examination and oral questioners. \n \nResults: Prevalence of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity was 46.66%; Ear (14.33%), Nose(28.66%) and Throat(10%).Common Ear Nose and Throat problems were– common cold(23%), cough(9.67%), sore throat(8.34%) and ear ache(8.67%). Associations of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity with age and religion were statistically significant. Only 31.40% of children had taken treatment for the problems. Mother’s education had statistically significant association on health seeking behavior of school children. \n \nConclusion: Prevalence of Ear Nose and Throat morbidity was very high among school children, only 1/3 children had taken treatment, indicating negligence towards problems on the part of parents as well as teachers suggesting strong need for sensitization of parents and teachers.
Authors: Viral Shah, Nitin Lodha, Beena Patel, Hetal Koringa, Mehul Patel, Neha Bhatnagar, Dipesh Parmar
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4241104341