Paediatric otitis media at a primary healthcare clinic in South Africa

Abstract

Background.No published studies on the prevalence of paediatric otitis media at primary healthcare clinics (PHCs) in South Africa (SA) are available. Objective. To examine the point prevalence of otitis media in a paediatric population in a PHC in Johannesburg, SA, using otomicroscopy. Methods. A sample of 140 children aged 2 -16 years (mean 6.4; 44.1% females) were recruited from patients attending the PHC. Otomicroscopy was completed for each of the participants' ears by a specialist otologist using a surgical microscope. Results. Cerumen removal was necessary in 36.0% of participants (23.5% of ears). Otitis media with effusion was the most frequent diagnosis (16.5%). Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) was diagnosed in 6.6% of children and was the most common type of otitis media in participants aged 6 -15 years. Acute otitis media was only diagnosed in the younger 2 -5-year age group (1.7%). Otitis media was significantly more prevalent among younger (31.4%) than older children (16.7%). Conclusion. CSOM prevalence, as classified by the World Health Organization, was high. Consequently diagnosis, treatment and subsequent referral protocols may need to be reviewed to prevent CSOM complications.

Prevalence of Amraz-E Gosh (Otological Diseases) and Associated Risk Factors Among Secondary Level School Children in the Field Area of Nium, Bangalore

“…In the present study prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) was more in girls 11 (2.01%) than in boys 6 (1.10%). The study conducted by L Biagio et al showed that chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) was found more in boys (6.70%) than in girls (4.90%) 2 .This is also opposite to present study results and the possible reason for this may be that in present study gender and age matching was not made.…”

“…Responding to frequencies in the range of 20 to 20,000 Hz, the ear, which helps human beings accomplish a very important social function of communication, is subject to a number of ailments owing to its intricate structure and majority of these ailments occur quite early in life. According to World Health Organization, 42 million people (age > 3 years) have hearing loss 1 .A global incidence study reported an acute otitis media incidence rate of 10.9%.Estimates suggest that 80% of children will have at least one episode of acute otitis media (AOM) before 3 years of age 2 . The global incidence of the most severe form of otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), is 4.8%.…”

Tympanostomy tube insertion practice in under-18-year-olds in the South African private healthcare sector insured by Discovery Health

“…It was found in a sample of 140 children utilising public healthcare facilities that the prevalence of OME was 16.5% for children aged between 2 and 16 years. [14] The prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media in the same population was found to be 6.6%, which is classified by the World Health Organization as high.…”

Editor's Choice

“…A study at a primary healthcare clinic [5] employed otomicroscopy to ascertain the point prevalence of otitis media in a paediatric population in a public health clinic in Diepsloot, a densely populated settlement north of Johannesburg. The prevalence of CSOM for the total paediatric sample was 6.6%, which is classified by the WHO as high.…”