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Prevalence of hearing loss among primary school children in Mbarara, Uganda

Introduction: Hearing loss in children is a common entity worldwide. We examined the prevalence and etiology of hearing loss among primary school children in a large urban center in southwestern Uganda. Methods: Cross-sectional study in primary school children aged 5-14 with hearing loss was performed. Several hundred Ugandan primary school children were screened for hearing impairment (threshold >30 dB) and confirmatory audiometry was performed on those who failed the screening. Results: There were 639 children screened. Thirty-five, or 5.5% (95% CI 3.7%, 7.2%) of children screened failed and were referred for further testing. Two children were lost to follow-up. The percentage of children with true hearing loss was 3.3% (95% CI 1.9%, 4.7%). Conclusions: The incidence of failed hearing screening in this remote African population is similar to other populations. Hearing screening is recommended for all children, but especially for those performing poorly in school or with suspicion of hearing loss. Southwestern Uganda remains in need of a trained audiologist and comprehensive otolaryngologic care.

Irving Basanez (POC,Primary Presenter), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, irving.z.basanez@vanderbilt.edu;
Irving Basañez, MD is a resident physician in Otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He is interested in global health and has spent time in Mbarara, Uganda screening children for hearing loss and assisting in their access to medical and audiological services. He has also completed a two-month internship at the World Health Organization under the supervision of Dr. Shelly Chadha in the division for prevention of hearing loss in Geneva, Switzerland in the spring of 2015.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

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Nonfinancial -

Susan Stangl (Co-Author), Boys Town National Research Hospital, susan.m.stangl@gmail.com;
Dr. Stangl is a staff audiologist at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

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