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Awareness and attitudes towards external auditory canal exostosis and its preventability in surfers in the UK: cross-sectional study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

S Morris ,
T Martin ,
D Mccahon  and
S Bennett
S Morris*
Affiliation:
School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
T Martin
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Worcester Royal Hospital, UK
D Mccahon
Affiliation:
Clinical Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, UK
S Bennett
Affiliation:
School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Simon Morris, 143 Warwards Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham B29 7QX, UK Fax: 0121 414 3759 E-mail: simonrhysmorris@yahoo.co.uk
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Abstract

Objectives:

To determine the proportion of UK surfers aware of external auditory canal exostosis, to identify surfer characteristics associated with knowledge of the condition and to explore attitudes to earplug use.

Method:

An online, cross-sectional survey of UK-based surfers.

Results:

Of 375 surfers, 86.1 per cent (n = 323; 95 per cent confidence interval = 82.3–89.3) reported awareness of external auditory canal exostosis. Further investigation revealed that, despite their awareness of the condition, 23.4 per cent of these surfers (88 out of 323; 95 per cent confidence interval = 19.5–28.0) had little or no knowledge about external auditory canal exostosis. Predictors of knowledge included: distance from nearest surfing beach (p = 0.001), surfing standard (ability) (p = 0.008), earplug use (p = 0.024) and positive external auditory canal exostosis diagnosis (p = 0.009).

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that a significant minority of UK surfers have no knowledge about this condition. Knowledge of external auditory canal exostosis was significantly associated with earplug use when surfing. Efforts to improve surfers’ knowledge are required to enable surfers to better protect themselves, which could reduce the incidence of external auditory canal exostosis.

Keywords

AwarenessAttitudeCross-Sectional StudiesEar CanalEar DiseasesEar Protective DevicesExostosesGeneral PractitionersSports
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 130 , Issue 7 , July 2016 , pp. 628 - 634
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2016 

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Footnotes

Presented at the South West ENT Academic Meeting, 19 June 2015, Bath, and at the British Academic Conference in Otolaryngology, 8–10 July 2015, Liverpool, UK.

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