Online education and its relation to hearing status among higher-secondary students in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Online education gained its popularity in the education system during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The online platform, including social media, was institutionalized globally for the purpose of tutoring to keep the education process ongoing under feasible circumstances. However, the post-pandemic continuation of online education and prolonged usage of electronic devices imposed a greater risk of health issues related to sensory impairment. Our study aimed to determine the impact of online education on students' hearing status and its associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1030 students of 11th grade and above who were undergoing online education in Dhaka and Chattogram. Data were collected through the online administration of a structured questionnaire containing questions on sociodemographic status, family history of diseases, personal history of diseases, information related to screentime exposure, and SSQ-12 (Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing -12) scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test, two independent sample t-tests, and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to obtain the results. RESULT: The mean SSQ score of the study participants was 7.74 ± 1.37. In bivariate analysis, gender, family income, family history of diseases (e.g., obesity, headache, hearing problem), personal history of diseases (e.g., obesity, insomnia), device type (mobile/tablet, computer), average daily screen time with sound, and break pattern during online learning were significantly (p < 0.05 for all) associated with hearing status. In multivariate analysis, being female (coefficient -0.293, p = 0.001), using mobile/tablet (coefficient -0.836, p = 0.001), and continuous screen use (coefficient -0.348, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with poor hearing status. CONCLUSION: This current study indicates the detrimental effect of online education on the hearing of young students in Bangladesh. Future studies should explore the long-term hearing effects of online education and guide the policy makers towards necessary preventive approaches.