Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40068842›Full record

ArticleJournal of audiology & otology2025

Ear Symptoms and Earphone Usage: A Web-Based Survey Study.

Ga-Young Kim, Mini Jo, Young Sang Cho, Il Joon Moon

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of audiology & otology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ga-Young KimHearing Research Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Mini JoHearing Research Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Young Sang ChoHearing Research Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
Il Joon MoonHearing Research Laboratory, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Funding

Ministry of EducationNational Research Foundation of Korea 2022R1A6A3A01086146
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesThis study aimed to investigate the potential impact of earphone use on the occurrence of otitis externa (OE) by conducting a survey. SUBJECTS AND

methodsThis study included 517 participants. The questionnaire comprised 22 items divided into three categories; general information, earphone use, and OE. The questionnaire was designed using Google Forms and distributed through a notice posted on a hospital bulletin board. This notice included a QR code that enabled any interested individual to participate, and the responses were collected automatically.

resultsThe proportion of respondents who had experienced OE at least once was 21%. Among them, 33.7% experienced OE within the preceding month. For "adhering to the recommendation usage time," individuals who responded "likely" had a 0.440 (odds ratio=0.440, 95% confidence interval=0.195-0.993) times higher likelihood; they were at lower risk of experiencing OE compared to those who responded "very unlikely."

conclusionsOur findings suggest that proper earphone use can reduce the risk of OE. Despite the lack of a significant relationship between earphone type, physical activity, and cleaning practices, continued adherence to these factors is recommended to prevent OE.

Indexed as

EarbudsEar carnalEarphoneInfectionsOtitis externa

Identifiers

PMID40068842
PMCPMC12046204

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

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.