An Investigation of Hearing Loss among School Age Children through Audiological Assessment in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated hearing loss among school age children in Ibadan, Nigeria. An expo - facto research design was adopted and three hundred pupils were selected through purposive random sampling method for the study. Two validated research instruments were used. Three research questions were answered and one hypothesis was tested. The data collected was analysed using percentage, Pearson product moment correlation and analysis of variance. The result revealed no significant impact of parents socio-economic status on the affected children (r=0.005; p> 0.05), (r= -0.073; p> 0.05) and significant differences among hearing losses of pupils from low, medium and high population densities areas (F=66.869; df= 2,297; p< 0.05), (F=14.279; df= 2,297; p< 0.05). The findings also revealed mild, moderate and moderate-severe types of hearing losses among the affected children. The study recommended the establishment of formidable and functional hearing testing centre, in every local government headquarters to detect children with hearing loss. Also, hearing assessment should be made mandatory in the Universal Basic Education policies as prerequisite to school entrance.