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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2016  |  Volume : 17  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 43-47

Prevalence and attitude of self-ear cleaning with cotton bud among doctors at aminu Kano teaching hospital, Northwestern Nigeria


1 Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
2 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria
3 Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Abdulazeez Ahmed
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano
Nigeria
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Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/1595-1103.194215

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Background: The use of cotton bud for self-ear cleaning is a common practice among many people despite its attendant ill-effects. This study examined the prevalence, attitude toward the use of cotton buds, and reasons for the use of cotton buds and problems or ill-effects associated with its use among medical doctors working at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among a randomly selected sample of 130 medical doctors working in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital spread across several departments in the hospital using a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using MINITAB statistical software and the results summarized using measures of central tendency while Chi-square test was used to assess for associations between categorical variables. Results: The respondents' age ranged from 25 to 55 years with a mean age of 33.6 ± 5.4 years. Most of the respondents were males (68.0%) The prevalence of cotton bud use was found to be 76.3% and for many, the frequency of use of cotton buds was once daily, and both ears were frequently cleaned. A common problem encountered with cotton bud use was retention of the bud as a foreign body. There was an association between owning a cotton bud and using it (χ2 = 38.317, P= 0.001). There was also a significant association between the use of cotton buds and the department where the respondent works (χ2 = 19.28, P= 0.0001). Conclusion: The use of cotton buds for self-ear cleaning is surprisingly prevalent among medical doctors working at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. There is a need for health education and promotion strategies for health workers in the hospital community that ear cleaning is best done by trained personnel.


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