Abstract

PREVALENCE OF ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA IN CHILDREN VISITING KING KHALID GENERAL HOSPITAL, MAJMA’AH CITY

Oliyan Alrashedy, Dukhayel Aldukhayel, Ahmed Aleidan*, Hani Alanazi, Abdulrahman Alfaiz, Baha Ata and Waqas Sami

Abstract

Background: [ENT- related diseases in children is major outdoor burden in pediatric population. Fortunately the mortality is very low but the rate of complications is still on the rise despite improvements in health care facilities and according to World Health Organization 42 million people (age > 3 years) have hearing loss where otitis media is the major cause]. Aims: [To find out the prevalence of acute otitis media in children visiting King Khaled General Hospital in Majma’ah (outdoor and Indoor). To study associated risk factors in children with AOM]. Methods: [It was an observational cross – sectional Hospital based study. The data was collected from 100 pediatric patients of both sexes, who attended ENT and Pediatric clinics or who admitted to pediatric ward at King Khalid General Hospital from June to July 2015. All patients aged 12 years or younger were enrolled into the study. The questionnaire included demographics as age, sex, history of ENT diseases, social and family history. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Verbal consent from the patients and their parents were taken]. Results: [The prevalence of acute otitis media among pediatric patients was 18%. Majority of patients affected with acute otitis media were younger than 6 year old (67%). Male patients with AOM were slightly higher (56%) than female patients (44%)]. Conclusion: [The prevalence of acute otitis media among pediatric patients visiting KKGH in Majma’ah was 18% which considered unaccepted. Extensive studies are still needed to find out the possible causes of AOM and to evaluate the burden of AOM].

Keywords: [Acute otitis media, children, Majma'ah city].