ArticleOTO open
Expanding the Capacity of Otolaryngologists in Kenya through Mobile Technology.
Article in OTO open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention programmes for neonates, infants and children in non-Asian low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Pooled it
- A Portable Pen-Shaped Otoscope for Telemedicine and Office-Based Otologic Examination: Feasibility and Patient Acceptability.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Establishing New Pediatric Thresholds for Digits-In-Noise Testing.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2025Article
- High-definition otoscopic device for humanitarian mission: how i do it.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025Article
- Kids are not just small adults: An attempt to validate pediatric tablet-based digits in noise testing.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2024Article
- Identifying and quantifying initial post-discharge needs for clinical review of sick, newborns in Kenya based on a large multi-site, retrospective cohort study.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2024Article
- Evaluation of Portable Tablet-Based Audiometry in a South Indian Population.Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India · 2022Article
- Community health workers and mHealth systems for hearing screening in rural Nicaraguan schoolchildren.Journal of global health · 2022Review
- Cost Analysis of an Annual School-Based Pediatric Hearing Screening Program in Semi-Rural Kenya.American journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery · 2021Article
- Community health worker-based hearing screening on a mobile platform: A scalable protocol piloted in Haiti.Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology · 2020Article
- Smartphone-enabled otoscopy: method evaluation in clinical practice.Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngologyArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine if reliable, objective audiologic data can be obtained by nonotolaryngology and nonaudiology practitioners using novel mobile technology in an effort to expand the capacity for early identification and treatment of disabling hearing loss in the developing world. STUDY
designCross-sectional, proof-of-concept pilot study.
settingScreenings took place during an annual 2-week otolaryngology surgical mission in October 2016 in semirural Malindi, Kenya. SUBJECT AND
methodsEighty-seven patients (174 total ears) were included from 2 deaf schools (n = 12 and 9), a nondeaf school (n = 9), a tuberculosis ward (n = 8), and a walk-in otology clinic at a local hospital (n = 49). An automated, tablet-based, language-independent, clinically validated, play audiometry system and wireless otoscopic endoscopy via an iPhone or laptop platform was administered by Kenyan community health workers (CHWs) and nursing staff.
resultsVarious degrees of hearing loss and otologic pathology were identified, including 1 child presumed to be deaf who was found to have unilaterally normal hearing. Other pathology included 2 active perforations, 2 healed perforations, 2 middle ear effusions, and 1 cholesteatoma. CHWs and nursing staff demonstrated proficiency performing audiograms and endoscopy. Patients screened in a deaf school were more likely to complete an unreliable audiogram than patients screened in other settings (
conclusionThis study demonstrates the feasibility of a non-otolaryngology-based hearing screening program. This may become an important tool in reducing the impact of hearing loss and otologic pathology in areas bereft of otolaryngologists and audiologists by allowing CHWs to gather important patient data prior to otolaryngologic evaluation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.