PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF SELF-EAR-CLEANING AMONG NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS (NYSC) MEMBERS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA)

Abstract

The insertion of objects into one's own ears purportedly to clean them has been reported in several places. Although hospital-based studies suggest that the prevalence is high and expert opinion discourages self-ear-cleaning, evidence against it is sparse and the epidemiology not well defined. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiology of self-ear-cleaning and its association with ear-related symptoms among National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Osun state, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with semi-structured questionnaires on a randomly selected sample of 1012 NYSC members in Osun State, Nigeria. Outcome variable was the presence or absence of self-ear-cleaning. Independent variables were socio-demographic variables, ear-related symptoms and ear cleaning habits. Analysis with SPSS 15 was univariate, bivariate and multiple logistic regression. Both sexes were represented (M: F=1.05:1). Mean age was 25.3 (SD, 2.34). Overall prevalence of self-ear-cleaning was 93.4%. Mean age of commencement of self-ear-cleaning was 7.6 years. Cotton buds were the objects most frequently used for self-ear-cleaning (by 85.1 % of respondents). The prevalence of self-ear-cleaning was high in all groups irrespective of sociodemographic class. It was significantly higher among females than among males (x2=4.549, p<0. 05), in Christians than in Muslims (x2=4. 756, p<0.05), in university graduates than in others (x2=6.520, p<0.05), in the south-eastern geopolitical zone of the country than in the other zones (x2=11.759, p<0.05) and among those whose perception was that self-ear-cleaning was beneficial (x2=114.1 85, p<0.05). It was also significantly higher in those whose parents' education was secondary or post secondary (Fathers x2=6.431, p<0.05; Mothers x2=8.310, p<0.05), among those who owned cotton buds (x2=80.808, p<0.05), those moved around with cotton buds (x2=16.640, p<0.05) and among those whose parents and siblings also practiced the habit (Fathers x2=220.915, p<0.05; Mothers x2=133.082, p<0.05; Siblings x2=133.306, p<0.05). Significant predictive factors for self-ear-cleaning were the practice of the habit in the fathers of respondents (OR=11.0, p<0.05) and ownership of cotton buds (OR=0.192, p<0.05). There was no association between self-ear-cleaning and history of ear-related symptoms (x2=0.135, p>0.05) or between self-ear-cleaning and depth, frequency and duration of practice of self-ear-cleaning. There was however an association between history of ear-related symptoms and the pointed nature of the object used for self-ear-cleaning (x2=12.221 , p<0.05). Self-ear-cleaning is an almost-universal potentially injurious habit. Health workers should design and implement programmes to correct the wrong perceptions and dissuade people from practicing the habit.