Characteristics of Hearing-impairment Among Patients in Ghana*

The causes, and characteristics of hearing-impairment were determined prospectively among six thousand, four hundred and twenty-eight (6,428) patients who reported at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) with hearing problems. The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics and some causes of hearing loss of patients who report for management at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The procedure adopted included a detailed case history, Otoscopy and Pure-tone Audiometry. Of the 6,428 patients, 5,734 (89.9%) were diagnosed as having significant hearing loss. There were more hearing impaired women than men at all ages. Majority of the patients had mild hearing loss. The overall prevalence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss was more in worse ear than better ear. Again, the occurrence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss was more than other types of hearing loss. Noise, Fever, Presbycusis, Sickness, Meningitis and Meniere's diseases were the major causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Conductive Hearing Loss was attributed in the main to Wax, Foreign Bodies, Otitis Media, and Traumas. These findings have important implications on the need of resources for rehabilitation

Occupational hearing loss of market mill workers in the city of Accra, Ghana

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an irreversible sensorineural hearing loss associated with exposure to high levels of excessive noise. Prevention measures are not well established in developing countries. This comparative cross sectional study aims to determine the prevalence of hearing loss in both a group of high risk workers and a control group and to assess their knowledge of the effects of noise on hearing health. A total of 101 market mill workers and 103 controls employed within markets in the city of Accra, Ghana, were evaluated using a structured questionnaire and pure tone audiometry. The questionnaire assessed factors including self-reported hearing loss, tinnitus, knowledge on the effects of noise on hearing health and the use of hearing protective devices. Pure tone audiometric testing was conducted for both mill workers and controls. Noise levels at the work premises of the mill workers and controls were measured. Symptoms of hearing loss were reported by 24 (23.76%) and 8 (7.7%) mill workers and controls respectively. Fifty-five (54.5%) and fifty-four (52.37%) mill workers and controls exhibited knowledge of the effects of noise on hearing health. Five (5.0%) mill workers used hearing protective devices. There was significant sensorineural hearing loss and the presence of a 4 kHz audiometric notch among mill workers when compared with controls for the mean thresholds of 2 kHz, 3 kHz and 4 kHz (P = 0. 001). The prevalence of hearing loss in the better hearing ears of the mill workers and controls was 24.8% and 4.8% respectively (P < 0.5). The prevalence of hearing loss, which may be characteristic of NIHL in the better hearing ears of the mill workers and controls was 24.8% and 4.8% respectively. The majority of mill workers did not use hearing protection

Congenital non-syndromal deafness at Adamarobe, an isolated Ghanaian village: Prevalence, incidence and audiometric characteristics of deafness in the village (Part I).

A study to determine the prevalence, incidence and audiometric characteristics of deafness was done at Adamarobe, an isolated deaf village in Ghana. The procedures adopted include collection of family histories, pedigree, otoscopy and audiometric evaluation. As it turned out, a total of 45 deaf persons were identified in the 14 families with deaf individuals. Out of this number, 38 were alive. Only 30 of them finally participated in the study. 23 of them have a hearing remnant at the low and middle frequencies while the remaining 7 have total hearing loss. A total of 56 relatives of the deaf were identified. 23 of them were available for audiometric evaluation. 17 of the 23 had hearing loss in the better ear using a mid-frequency average of the threshold at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. 14 had a mild sensorineural hearing loss while the remaining 3 had a moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The incidence of profound sensorineural hearing loss in the study population of 2,314 was 16 per 1000. Using a better ear hearing level of > 25 dB, the incidence of hearing-impairment in the village was 23.7 per 1000. JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 1 Number 2, January (1999) pp. 63-6

Characteristics of hearing-impairment among patients in Ghana

The causes, and characteristics of hearing-impairment were determined prospectively among six thousand, four hundred and twenty-eight (6,428) patients who reported at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) with hearing problems. The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristics and some causes of hearing loss of patients who report for management at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The procedure adopted included a detailed case history, Otoscopy and Pure-tone Audiometry. Of the 6,428 patients, 5,734 (89.9%) were diagnosed as having significant hearing loss. There were more hearing impaired women than men at all ages. Majority of the patients had mild hearing loss. The overall prevalence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss was more in worse ear than better ear. Again, the occurrence of Sensorineural Hearing Loss was more than other types of hearing loss. Noise, Fever, Presbycusis, Sickness, Meningitis and Meniere's diseases were the major causes of Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Conductive Hearing Loss was attributed in the main to Wax, Foreign Bodies, Otitis Media, and Traumas. These findings have important implications on the need of resources for rehabilitation. African Journal of Health Sciences Vol. 12(3-4) 2005: 87-9