Formal education about hygienic aural care and the relationship between aural hygiene awareness and practices: a cross-sectional study from a super-speciality hospital in West Bengal, India

ABSTRACT

Background: The result of poor ear care and hygiene behaviours are often encountered in otology practice. There is also lack of any proper guideline of hygienic ear care behaviours. The present study aims to assess the awareness and practice of hygienic ear care behaviours of the community, in the light of the guidelines as per WHO Primary Ear and Hearing Care Training Resources-Basic level.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Baruipur Sub-Divisional Hospital serving semi urban population of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Patients and parents (in case of children below the age of six years) were interviewed. Maintaining the inclusion and exclusion criteria after obtaining informed consent 480 participants were included in the study who responded to a validated self-reported semi structured questionnaire.Results: The mean age was 32.44 (±18.95) years. Around 51.3% were male, 81.25% were professionals. Majority belonged to nuclear family (52.083%) and Islam (53.333%). Around 88.958% of the population had practice of ear care behaviour which was poor. Joint family had an odds of 2.86 (p value=0.002) and Islam by religion had an odds of 1.99 (p value=0.044) for a higher level of awareness. Educated group had an odds of 4.07 (p<0.001) for higher awareness. Aware group had an odds of 19.95 (p<0.001) in favour of having hygienic ear care practices.Conclusions: The study demonstrated lack of formal education regarding ear hygiene at the community level. Dearth in formal knowledge leading to poor practices is compounded with several socio-cultural issues.