Awareness among the Patients of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media about the Disease and its Complications

Abstract

Objective:To assess the level of awareness among patients of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) about disease and its complications. Materials and Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out in Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Cantonment General Hospital Rawalpindi and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad from April to September 2014.Diagnosed out-patients of CSOM after history and clinical examination were included in the study and interviewed with the help of structured questionnaireto assess the knowledge about their disease and its complications. The data was analyzed using SPSS 18. Results: Majority(48.8 %) patients were 15 to 30 years of age. Male to female ratio was 3:2. Only 49.6 % patients knew they had a perforation in their ear drum and 30.4% understood perforation as the cause of continued discharge from the ear. Only 33.6% patients had knowledge about entry of water in the ear as a cause of recurrence of discharge. Most patients (71.2%) did not know they had either the safe or the unsafe type of disease and only 48.8% patients knew that this disease could cause serious complications.58.4% knew that it can cause permanent hearing loss, 19.2% were aware that infection could spread to brain, 11.2% knew it could cause facial paralysis. Only 0.8% knew it could cause giddiness and vertigo. 27.2% were aware that their disease could be cured by surgery and 26.4% thought early surgery is necessary. Conclusion:Awareness among patients of CSOM about their disease and its complications is very low.