Hearing Health Practices and Beliefs among over 20 year-olds in the Omani Population
Journal Title: Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal - Year 2010, Vol 10, Issue 2
Abstract
Te objective of this study was to investigate hearing health practices and beliefs among people over 20 years old in the Omani population. Methods: Tis 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). Te 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% confdence intervals of the different grades of beliefs and hearing practice. Te rates were also compared among different subgroups. We performed regression analysis to identify predictors of good hearing practice and scientifc beliefs. Results: 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 scientifc beliefs. Conclusion: We noted high levels of good hearing practice and low levels of modern scientifc beliefs among Omani participants. Te 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.
Authors and Affiliations
Rajiv Khandekar| Eye & Ear Health Care, Department of Non-Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Oman, Narang Ved P| Department of ENT, Nizwa Hospital, Dakhiliya Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Kantharaju KK| Department of ENT, Ibra Hospital, North Sharqiya Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Pratibha Mane| Department of ENT, Sohar Hospital, North Batinah Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Abdul RM Hassan| Department of ENT, Sohar Hospital, North Batinah Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Raghunandan Niar| Department of ENT, Sur Hospital, South Sharqiyah Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Shah Fahim A| Department of ENT, Sur Hospital, South Sharqiyah Region, Ministry of Health, Oman, Mazin Al-Khabori| Department of ENT, Al Nahdha Hospital, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman, Saleh Al-Harby| Eye & Ear Health Care, Department of Non-Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Oman
Keywords
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