The Relationship Between Cerumen Impaction with Ear Cleaning Behavior and the Use of “Earplugs” in Factory Workers at PT. Wijaya Karya Beton Pasuruan

Cerumen (earwax) is a normal secretion of the serous and sebaceous glands of the outer third of the external ear canal, consisting of glycopeptides, lipids, hyaluronic acid, sialic acid, lysosomal enzymes, and immunoglobulins. When cerumen builds up and blocks the ear, it is referred to as cerumen impaction. Factors that increase the occurrence of cerumen impaction are narrow and tortuous ear canals, the use of cotton buds to clean the ears, the use of earplugs, or other defects. The research method used was observation, combined with questionnaire data collection and ear examination using an otoscope, which was then analyzed both descriptively and analytically. Analysis through the IBM SPSS version 23 using the chi-square statistical test obtained significant results on the relationship between ear cleaning behavior and the incidence of cerumen impaction (P = 0.009; P