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An awareness and prevalence study of Irish cold-water athletes and external auditory canal exostoses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2022

S Boyle Open the ORCID record for S Boyle [Opens in a new window] ,
R Keane ,
M Jinih ,
E McCarthy Deering ,
N Patil  and
M Choo
S Boyle*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Sligo University Hospital, Ireland
R Keane
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Sligo Institute of Technology, Ireland
M Jinih
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiothoracics, The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
E McCarthy Deering
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Sligo University Hospital, Ireland
N Patil
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Sligo University Hospital, Ireland
M Choo
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Sligo University Hospital, Ireland
*
Author for correspondence: Dr S Boyle, ENT Department, Sligo University Hospital, The Mall, Rathquarter, SligoF91 H684, Ireland E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to determine the awareness, otological symptoms and prevalence of external auditory canal exostoses in Irish cold-water athletes.

Method

An online and in person cross-sectional survey was undertaken with Irish cold-water athletes to explore athletes' awareness, known prevalence of external auditory canal exostoses and attitudes towards preventive measures.

Results

Of the 926 participants surveyed, 67.5 per cent were aware of external auditory canal exostoses. Triathletes reported the lowest awareness (39.9 per cent) among water athletes. A total of 9.7 per cent (n = 90) had previously been diagnosed with external auditory canal exostoses and 46.7 per cent (n = 42) were non-surfers. Ear symptoms were reported in 76 per cent of athletes. Otoscopic examinations showed that 23.7 per cent had external auditory canal exostoses, 3.6 per cent of whom were aware of their diagnosis.

Conclusion

The majority of Irish surfing athletes are aware of external auditory canal exostoses. There is less awareness with regard to Ireland's newly emerging sports such as open water swimming and triathlons. Over 90 per cent of athletes surveyed had no idea they had external auditory canal exostoses, which highlights the need to increase public awareness.

Keywords

ExostosesEar CanalAwarenessPrevalenceWater Sports
Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 136 , Issue 7 , July 2022 , pp. 659 - 667
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Dr S Boyle takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Presented at the Irish Otolaryngology Society Meeting, 12 October 2018, Ballymena, Northern Ireland and The Sylvester O'Halloran Meeting, 28 February 2019, Limerick, Ireland.

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