Abstract
Otolaryngological school screening examination was carried out on 44, 932 students, 7 to 20 years of age, for eight consecutive years since 1973. They were examined by means of rhinoscopy by ENT specialists and 13 diseases were diagnosed. The results which were expressed in terms of prevalence rates were as follows:
1: The prevalence rate of otitis media was 0-0.5% and remained unchanged for eight years.
2: The rate of rhinitis was found to be 14.4%, the highest rate being in the 7-year-old children and the incidence decreased gradually with age to 3.0%, the lowest rate being in the 18-year-old students. The rate decreased gradually over the eight years. The prevalence rate of nasal allergy has increased remarkably in the eight years. The highest rate was 4.2% in the 15-year-old children. The rate of chronic sinusits has decreased slightly in the eight years. The highest rate was 5.0% in the 9-year-old children. However, no significant difference for the prevalence rate was found among the age groups for both chronic sinusitis and nasal allergy.
3: The prevalence rate of palatine tonsillar hypertrophy was 18.9%, the highest rate being in the 7-year-old children and the incidence decreased with age to 2.0%, the lowest rate being in the 19-year-old students. The rate increased gradually over the eight years. The prevalence rates of chronic tonsillitis were highest in the 9 and 20-year-old groups being 12.1% and 12.5%, respectively. The lowest rate was in the 15-year-old children at 5.7%. The rate decreased in the eight years.
Although the results were influenced by the individuality of the examiners and there were certain limitations of the examination which depended only on rhinoscopy, a general impression that infectious disease has decreased and allergic disorder has increased in the nose was confirmed in this study. Discussion on the general significance of school screening examination was also reported, including a system of otolaryngological school screening examination and the diseases to be screened for.
