Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College | 2026
Authors: Khan M.Z.; Kundi M.N.A.; Bashir S.; Raza M.; Hussain J.; Sadiq S.M.
DOI: 10.37939/jrmc.v30i1.2911
Journal: Journal of Rawalpindi Medical College
Year: 2026
Publisher: Rawalpindi Medical University
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access
Cited by: 0
Objective: To assess the knowledge, practice, and attitude of medical doctors regarding ear hygiene and analyse the statistical association with their clinical specialty and duration of professional experience. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Niazi Welfare Foundation Teaching Hospital, from October 2024 to March 2025, after obtaining ethical committee approval. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 520 MBBS doctors, who were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive analysis was conducted for all variables, and one-way analysis of variance was used to explore statistical associations between the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of MBBS doctors and their clinical specialty and experience. Results: Among the 520 study participants (mean age, 33.2 ± 9.9 years; 59.2% women), 77.7% correctly recalled the curved anatomy of the ear canal, but only 52.7% acknowledged the immunological function of cerumen. More than half (56.9%) of the study participants confessed to using cotton swabs, with 51.5% cleaning their ears more than twice a week. Itching was identified as the most common (38.5%) stimulus for inserting objects in the ear canal, and 12.3% had a history of self-inflicted ear injury. Only 47.7% referred to ENT specialists for ear problems. Clinical specialty showed a significant positive association with KPA (p < 0.05), except for parental habits (p = 0.66). Conclusion: A significant knowledge gap was identified among many MBBS doctors, reflecting their unsafe ear cleaning practices. Educational intervention is prudent to promote knowledge of ear hygiene and evidence-based counselling in clinical practice. © 2026, Rawalpindi Medical University. All rights reserved.
Cerumen; External Ear; Health behaviour; IgA; Physicians