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The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 60:404-406 (2005)
© 2005 The Gerontological Society of America

Ear Diseases in Elderly Hospital Patients in Nigeria

Foluwasayo E. Ologe1,, Segun Segun-Busari1, Ibraheem S. Abdulraheem2 and Abdulrahman O. Afolabi1

Departments of 1 Otorhinolaryngology
2 Epidemiology/Community Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria.

Address correspondence to Folu E. Ologe, MBBS, P.O. Box 6641, Ilorin 240001, Nigeria. E-mail: foluologe{at}yahoo.com

Background. Little information is available about the pattern of ear diseases in the elderly population. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the pattern of ear diseases among elderly Nigerians, so as to provide an objective basis for cost-effective health care planning for the emerging geriatric population.

Methods. A retrospective study of 320 patients aged 60 years or older presenting with ear diseases at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria, between January 1996 and December 2001 was carried out.

Results. Impacted cerumen was the most common ear disease, occurring in 110 (34.4%) patients of the study population. Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) was the most common infectious disease, affecting 28 (8.8%) patients. Of the 88 patients with hearing loss, 63 (71.6%) had sensorineural, 20 (22.7%) had presbycusis, 1 (1.1%) had conductive, and 4 (4.6%) had mixed hearing loss.

Conclusion. Our data suggest that impacted cerumen, hearing loss, and infections (notably CSOM), are the common ear diseases among elderly Nigerians.






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Copyright © 2005 by The Gerontological Society of America.