Hearing health practices and beliefs among over 20 year-olds in the Omani population

The objective of this study was to investigate hearing health practices and beliefs among people over 20 years old in the Omani population. This descriptive study was conducted in Oman during 2007-2008. Arabic speaking health staff interviewed a total of 598 selected people from urban and rural Oman and also industrial workers using a closed ended questionnaire with 15 questions. Participants' responses to the hearing practice related questions were graded into excellent [>/= 20 points], average [10 to 19] and poor [<10 points]. The responses to the questions about hearing beliefs were grouped into excellent [>/= 25 points], good [5 to 24], average [-4 to 4], poor [-24 to -5] and very poor [<-25] grades. We calculated the frequencies, percentage proportions and 95% confidence intervals of the different grades of beliefs and hearing practice. The rates were also compared among different subgroups. We performed regression analysis to identify predictors of good hearing practice and scientific beliefs. Among the 598 participants, an 'excellent' grade of hearing practice and belief was noted in 386 [64.5% [95% CI 60.7-68.4]] and average in 205 [34.3% [95% CI 29.5 - 37.1]]. Being in the 20 to 39 years age group [OR=1.67] and an urban resident [OR=0.53] were both predictors of an excellent grade of hearing practice, while male gender [OR=1.71] and illiteracy [OR=1.80] were predictors of scientific beliefs. We noted high levels of good hearing practice and low levels of modern scientific beliefs among Omani participants. The Ear Health Care program of Oman should focus on improving the knowledge about healthy hearing so that attitudes and hearing practices are improved and noise-induced hearing loss can be prevented or delayed

Malignant otitis externa or diabetic ear- Al Nahdha management protocol. Why it should be treated aggressively?

Malignant Otitis externa is an unusual but serious and potentially fatal condition. This is a study of 29 cases of malignant otitis externa admitted in our institution between January 1995 and December 2003. In this article a classification system defining the extent of disease, management protocol, indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and overall effectiveness of treatment are reviewed. Correlating clinical, radiological, technetium 99 [Tc99] and gallium67 [Ga 67] scintigraphic findings and early therapeutic response, the disease was staged into stage I [mild], ll [moderate] and stage III [severe]. 15 patients of stage I disease were successfully treated with monodrug therapy- third generation cephalosporin [ceftazidime] only. Five patients of stage II disease were treated with parenteral ceftazidime and amikacin for 4-6 weeks. Of the remaining 9 cases with stage III disease, 6 were successfully treated with combination of antipseudomonal antibiotics [ceftazidime/ piperacillin and amikacin] for 8-12 weeks and adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Site of granulations in the ear canal seems to be indicative of stage of the disease. 26 cases [89.7 percent] were treated successfully and are free of disease. Three patients [10.3 percent] died of disease recurrence. The presence of associated facial nerve involvement alone does not seem to be a poor prognostic sign. A new staging system is proposed and a guideline for therapy according to the stage of the disease is discussed