Clinical profiles of patients referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist clinic via community mobile hearing clinic in Singapore

Abstract

Background: Community-based audiology service is new to the Singapore’s health-care landscape. Cases deemed unsuitable to remain under audiologists’ management in the community are referred to ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists. Objectives: Analysis of the clinical profiles for these referred cases revealed the local community burden of otological and auditory conditions. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional pilot study. Clinical records of 375 patients who were seen by audiologists at a community-based mobile hearing clinic (MHC) and warranted ENT specialist referrals were extracted for descriptive analysis. Results: A total of 83.73% ( n =314) of patients attended their ENT appointments as advised by audiologists. Most patients (57.07%, n =234) had one condition diagnosed by the ENT specialist. One patient had four ENT conditions. Twenty-two types of otological conditions were diagnosed. Chronic suppurative otitis media, otitis externa, impacted cerumen and otitis media with effusion made up the four most frequently seen conditions in this subgroup. Twelve types of auditory conditions were diagnosed, with asymmetrical hearing loss topping the list. Sixteen types of other ENT conditions were diagnosed. Four incidental findings of vestibular schwannoma were reported. Conclusion: Many of the otological conditions diagnosed were chronic. Auditory conditions were predominantly hearing loss. Yet, they were found unnoticed or untreated by patients at the time of their visit to the MHC. This community-based audiology clinic had a catalytic effect on promoting timely or even early otological/hearing diagnosis and treatment. Understanding the prevailing ENT conditions of our wider population indicates the potential for growing community-based hearing health-care provision.