Background and aim:
The impact of otitis media with effusion (OME) on quality of life (QoL) may be substantial. The aim of this study is to determine the magnitude of OME among children and its determinate effects on both them and their parents.
Method:
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 98 apparently healthy preschool children attending the otolaryngology clinic at Zagazig University hospital. The studied children underwent socioeconomic data assessment and clinical examination. Diagnosis of OME was established using otoscope and tympanometry. QoL in children and also level of parents stress were measured.
Results:
Mean age of the studied children was 3.27 ± 1.53 years. Of them, 22 (22.4%) had OME. There is a statistically significant difference between presence of OME and crowding index, mother education, parent smoking and type of feeding. Regression analysis showed that only four factors were found significant in this analysis: crowding index >2 /room (odds ratio (OR) = 9.36), parent smoking in the household (OR= 3.72), mother education less than secondary school education (OR=9.02) and recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) (OR=7.27). There is a significant difference between the studied children with and without OME regarding emotional functioning, school performance, and total QoL domains. There is a significant difference between the studied children regarding parents' stress
Conclusion:
Having recurrent AOM, parent smoking in the household were strong predictors of the occurrence of OME. Children with OME reported significantly poorer quality of life and their parents had higher perceived stress.