Abstract
Otitis externa (OE) is an extremely common dermatological condition that can affect social life and employment, but formal studies of its general health impact are lacking. The aims of this study were two-folded, first to assess the impact of OE on various health determinants as measured by the Finlay's dermatological quality of life index (DLQI) and second to see if there was any difference on quality of life (QoL) of patients with acute and chronic OE. A prospective questionnaire study was carried out. The study included 85 consecutive adult patients with both acute and chronic OE attending the casualty department of a regional otolaryngology unit. Both groups of patients reported a significantly poor QoL, particularly patients with acute OE, whom were significantly affected by the condition. We concluded that OE has a significant impact on the QoL particularly in patients with acute and chronic OE.
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