DETERMINATION OF PREVALENCE AND CAUSES OF SINUSITIS IN PEOPLE EXAMINED AT THE EAR NOSE THROAT HOSPITAL OF THE CENTRAL REGION, 2022

The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of sinusitis and the rate of bacterial, fungal and allergic sinusitis among the people examined at the Ear Nose Throat Hospital of the Central Region in 2022.The study was designed using descriptive research method.The prevalence of sinusitis in people who came for examination was 25.27% (379/1500), including 47.50% (180/379) with bacterial sinusitis, 18.20% (69/379) with fungal sinusitis, and 34.30% (130/379) with allergic sinusitis. The rate of sinusitis in males and females was 42.28% (183/379) and 57.72% respectively. Those people aged from 18 to 60 were the most infected, accounting for 83.90%, followed by those doing freelance jobs (70.98%). Some risk factors included chronic nasopharyngitis (OR = 7.99: 3.36 – 9.32), history of otitis media (OR = = 3.51: 1.76 – 5.35). No association between allergy and sinusitis was found (OR = 0.23: 0.16 -1.53). The rate of sinusitis in women was higher than that in men, in which bacterial sinusitis accounted for the largest proportion and commonly seen in the age group of 18 to 60. Related factors included chronic nasopharyngitis and history of otitis media.