Background: Self ear cleaning with cotton buds and other objects is a common practice. Objective: To determine the sociodemographic characteristics and the prevalence of self ear cleaning habit among patients attending a family medicine clinic in a teaching hospital in Sokoto metropolis. Materials and Methods: This was a 4 weeks prospective study carried out between May and June, 2013 at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital and Specialist Hospital Sokoto. A structured self response questionnaire containing items on sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of administering objects into the ear and complications of self ear cleaning was administered to the respondents after institutional research ethical clearance. The data were analysed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. P-value was considered significantly if less than 0.05. Results: A total of 200 subjects were included in this study, comprising of 93 (46.5%) males and 107 (53.5%) females. Their ages ranged from 18-57 years with the mean age being 30.29 years (±8.70). Eighty percent (160) of the respondents practise self ear cleaning. Types of objects included writing objects and cotton buds. For many of the subjects, the frequency of insertion was once daily and both ears were frequently cleaned. Complications that have arisen due to the practice included otitis externa. Conclusion: Self ear cleaning was prevalent in the subjects. Considering the complications that may arise, ear cleaning is better done by trained health personnel.

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Background: Hearing impairment is a common sensory impairment affecting all age group worldwide. Aims: This study aimed at determining the prevalence, sociodemographic features, aetiology, audiometry findings, impact on quality of life and management of hearing impairment in a tertiary health institution in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a prevalence hospital-based study of patients with complaints of hearing impairment in the ear, nose and throat department of Ekiti state university teaching hospital, Ado Ekiti. The study was carried out from May 2017 to April 2018. Consent was obtained from the patients/parents/guardian.

Background: Formaldehyde is commonly used for cadaver preservation in most anatomy laboratories with medical students at risk of acute toxic reactions involving the mucosal surface of the upper respiratory tract. Aım: To assess the nasal induced physical reactions from formaldehyde exposure among pre-clinical medical students. Materials and Method: This is a cross sectional, anonymous questionnaire-based study that included 119 preclinical medical students who took human anatomy laboratory course in the year 2012 at the College of Health Science of the Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. Results: One hundred and nineteen students responded to the questionnaires. There were 82 males and 37 females with a ratio of 2.2:1. Fifty nine (49.6%) of the respondents had watery rhinorrhea, nose itching 41 (34.5%), excessive sneezing 34 (28.6%), nasal obstruction 32 (26.9%), hyposmia 23 (19.3%) and 6 (5%) epistaxis. Thirty (29.2%) respondents had persistent nasal symptoms throughout the dissection session and nasal obstruction accounted for 40% of those affected. Majority of the respondents 113 (95%) had no knowledge of health hazards and precautions against formaldehyde exposure. Conclusion: Watery rhinorrhea, followed by nasal obstruction were the most common nasal symptoms which were persistent in 36.7% and 40% of the respondents respectively throughout the anatomy dissection sessions. Ninety five percent of the respondents had no knowledge of health hazards and precautions against formaldehyde exposure, therefore we recommend creation of awareness and precautionary measures against formaldehyde exposure in our Nigerian medical schools.