---
license: cc-by-4.0
task_categories:
  - tabular-classification
language:
  - en
tags:
  - healthcare
  - hearing-loss
  - ear-disease
  - otitis-media
  - ent
  - audiometry
  - sub-saharan-africa
  - lmic
pretty_name: "Hearing Loss & Ear Disease (CSOM, Audiometry, Hearing Aids, ENT)"
size_categories:
  - 10K<n<100K
configs:
  - config_name: ent_specialist_centre
    data_files: data/ear_ent_specialist_centre.csv
  - config_name: district_hospital
    data_files: data/ear_district_hospital.csv
    default: true
  - config_name: rural_health_centre
    data_files: data/ear_rural_health_centre.csv
---

# Hearing Loss & Ear Disease Dataset

## Abstract

This dataset provides **30,000 simulated ear disease and hearing loss records** (10,000 per scenario) from sub-Saharan Africa. Each record contains 45+ variables including ear condition, hearing assessment, risk factors, treatment, and outcomes. Three settings: ENT specialist centre (audiometry + hearing aids), district hospital (basic care), and rural health centre (minimal services).

## 1. Introduction

Up to 88% of hearing loss cases are preventable (WHO AFRO). CSOM is the most common ear pathology in SSA, with >56% of school children failing ear examinations. There are fewer than 1 ENT specialist per million population in most SSA countries. Audiometry is rarely available outside tertiary centres, and hearing aids reach <1% of those who need them. Untreated hearing loss in children leads to speech delay and poor school performance.

**This dataset is entirely simulated. It must not be used for clinical decision-making.**

## 2. Methodology

### 2.1 Parameterization

| Parameter | Value | Source |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Preventable hearing loss | Up to 88% | WHO AFRO |
| CSOM prevalence | ~27% of cases | PMC 2017 |
| School ear exam fail rate | 56.6% | ScienceDirect 2019 |
| ENT specialists per million | <1 | WHO AFRO |
| Hearing aid coverage | <1% | WHO |

### 2.2 Scenario Design

| Scenario | Audiometry | Hearing Aids | Surgery | ENT |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ENT specialist | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| District hospital | No | No | No | No |
| Rural HC | No | No | No | No |

## 3. Schema

| Column | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| id | int | Unique identifier |
| age | int | Patient age |
| ear_condition | categorical | csom / aom / ome / wax / foreign_body / noise / presbycusis / congenital / ototoxicity |
| hearing_loss_severity | categorical | normal / mild / moderate / severe / profound |
| hearing_loss_type | categorical | conductive / sensorineural / mixed |
| audiometry_done | binary | Audiometry performed |
| hearing_aid_fitted | binary | Hearing aid fitted |
| surgery_performed | binary | Ear surgery |
| speech_development_affected | binary | Speech delay (children) |
| school_performance_affected | binary | School impact (children) |
| complication | binary | Complication occurred |

## 4. Validation

<p align="center">
  <img src="validation_report.png" alt="Validation Report" width="100%">
</p>

Key validation checks:

- **CSOM**: #1 ear condition ✓
- **Audiometry**: 60% ENT centre → 0% elsewhere ✓
- **Hearing aids**: 7% specialist → 0% elsewhere ✓
- **Speech delay**: ~60% in children with moderate+ loss ✓
- **ENT referral completion**: ~20% ✓

## 5. Usage

```python
from datasets import load_dataset
dataset = load_dataset("electricsheepafrica/hearing-loss-ear-disease", "district_hospital")
df = dataset["train"].to_pandas()
```

## 6. Limitations

- **Simulated**: Not from real ENT registries.
- **No audiogram data**: No frequency-specific thresholds.
- **No imaging**: No CT temporal bone.
- **Simplified**: No detailed surgical outcomes.

## 7. References

1. PMC (2017). CSOM prevalence school children Malawi.
2. Cambridge (2024). Global burden hearing impairment.
3. Frontiers (2024). Global burden otitis media.
4. WHO AFRO. Ear health factsheet.
5. ScienceDirect (2019). School ear exam prevalence.

## Citation

```bibtex
@dataset{esa_hearing_ear_2025,
  title={Hearing Loss and Ear Disease Dataset},
  author={Electric Sheep Africa},
  year={2025},
  publisher={Hugging Face},
  url={https://huggingface.co/datasets/electricsheepafrica/hearing-loss-ear-disease}
}
```

## License

[CC-BY-4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)