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THE PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF OTITIS MEDIA AMONG OUT PATIENTS IN MULAGO HOSPITAL
Otitis media is a common condition affecting children and adults worldwide requiring a considerable amount of clinic time and operating time to deal with either active otitis media or the sequelae of previous otitis media worldwide. Thus, this study determined the risk factors of otitis media among patients attending ENT clinic in Mulago hospital. In order to achieve the research purpose, the following research objectives were formulated and these included: to determine level of prevalence of otitis media among patient attending ENT clinic in Mulago Hospital; to establish socio-demographic factors responsible for otitis media among patient attending ENT clinic in Mulago Hospital; to determine comorbid illnesses that lead to otitis media in patients attending ENT clinic in Mulago Hospital; and to examine household factors responsible for otitis media among patients attending ENT clinic in Mulago hospital. Cross-sectional descriptive study design employing quantitative approach was used in this study and the study using sample size determination by Kish and Leslie formula (1965), a sample size of 317 respondents was established. Stratified random and convenient sampling procedures were used to sample respondents. An interviewer questionnaires were used to collect data from respondents. Reliability for research instrument was attained through pretesting and re-pretesting with some 5 patients and 5 health workers in Kisugu Health Center while validity of the instruments was attained through expert judgment. The data was analyzed through SPSS software from which frequencies, multivariate analysis were done. The research findings indicate that the level of prevalance of otitis media among patients attending ENT clinic in Mulago hospital is generally high as 82 % of the patients had the disease; gender as socio-demographic factor had significant relationship with otitis media (x2 6.564, p-value of 0.01). Thus, females are at higher risk of developing otitis media than men (OR= 25(132-476, p=0.005); it was found out that allergic rhinitis had significant relationship with otitis media (χ2=6.574, p=0.010) and those who have a history of allergic rhinitis are 2.3 times more likely to develop otitis media than their counterparts without allergic rhinitis (OR= 2.33, p=0.008); ear discharge had positive relationship with otitis media (χ2=5.931, p=0.015) and those with a history of ear discharge are 2.2 times more likely to develop otitis media than those without it (OR=2.18, p=0.02); URTI had positive relationship with otitis media (χ2=12.429, p=0.001) and those with history of URTI are 1.7 times more likely to develop otitis media than their counterparts (OR=1.69, p=0.001); a significant relationship was obtained between snoring while sleeping and otitis media (χ2=5.678, p=0.017); and finally, cooking in house of sleeping that had significant relationship with otitis media (χ2=4.391, p=0.036). Study concludes that the level of prevalence of the disease among the patients is generally high; that the prevalence of otitis media was found to be associated with the female gender; those with a history of comorbid illnesses such as allergic rhinitis, ear discharge, URTI and snoring while sleeping were at higher risk of developing otitis media than those without these conditions; and finally, cooking in the same house of sleeping had a positive and significant relationship with otitis media. It was therefore recommended that the ministry of health should establish a comprehensive campaign country wide to sensitize people about different factors, conditions, circumstances that lead to otitis media; it should also launch a campaign to educate women about the factors that expose them more to otitis media; people with comorbid illnesses such as allergic rhinitis, ear discharge and URTI should be treated promptly; local community leaders such as local councilors should encourage people to establish kitchens with enough ventilation for cooking.
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