Self-assessment of Tonsil Size

Tonsillar Hypertrophy

tonsil size, tonsillar hypertrophy, self-assessment

The participants receive instructions on two tonsil size classification scales and then, using a tongue depressor as well as their mobile phone camera and/or a flashlight and a mirror, the participants assess the size of their own tonsils on two scales. After the self-assessment, a medical student and two ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists evaluate the participants' tonsil size using a tongue depressor and a headlamp, applying the same scales. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that patient self-assessment constitutes a sufficiently accurate method for evaluating tonsil size. Furthermore, it aims to show that patients experiencing conditions such as sleep apnea or swallowing difficulties can, on the basis of their own assessment, be appropriately referred to an otolaryngologist for surgical evaluation, thereby conserving healthcare resources and reducing the time burden for patients.

A total of 70 to 100 medical students from the first to third year of study will be recruited beginning in 2025, with recruitment extended into 2026 if necessary. Participants will be provided with a plain-language summary of the research plan and will be asked to provide written informed consent to participate. The investigators hypothesize that both participants and a trained medical student will be able to assess tonsil size-categorizing them as small, medium, or large, as well as grading them on a 0-4 scale-with sufficient agreement compared to professional evaluation, defined as an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of at least 0.60.

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Finland