Abstract:
Objectives: This study aimed to ascertain current practices
prevalent among medical students using electroacoustic devices. We also
aimed to determine pattern and frequency of hearing loss among medical
students.
Design: Cross-sectional
Participants: Students of 3rd year and
4th year MBBS at Jinnah Sindh Medical University,
Karachi, Pakistan were included. Data collection dated from December
2019 till February 2020 using convenience sampling technique.
Setting: Students were invited to ENT OPD, Jinnah Postgraduate
Medical Centre, Karachi. Through a structured proforma, we recorded
practices regarding electroacoustic devices. We investigated hearing of
medical students by tuning fork tests and Pure Tone Audiometry.
Main Outcome Measures: Using SPSS software version 23 we
applied Chi square test, Pearson correlation and independent ttest at 95% CI and p =<0.05 as significance level.
Results: A total of 221 students fulfilled inclusion criteria.
96.4%(n=213) regularly used electroacoustic devices. Students mostly
used insert type earphones connected with a smartphone. More than 30%
of medical students demonstrated low frequency (0.25-0.5kHz)
sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Pearson correlation yielded strong
positive correlation with hearing loss and years of
exposure(p=<0.001). Male students used electroacoustic devices
more frequently than female students(p=0.01). However, we did not
observe significant difference between their mean thresholds.
Conclusion: Acoustic trauma has been conventionally described
to affect higher frequencies. We found low frequency SNHL among majority
of students. This indicates that specific type of acoustic trauma can
affect particular frequencies on audiogram.
KEYWORDS: Low frequency hearing loss, medical students, Pure
Tone Audiometry, personal listening devices, hearing thresholds, noise
induced hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss