The Bayesian approach to the evaluation of risk factors in acute and recurrent acute otitis media.
A multivariant modelling method was used to analyse the risk, associated with 22 different factors, of contracting acute otitis media (AOM) in a prospective cohort of 1294 urban children followed up to the age of 17-32 (mean 25) months. By far the most important risk factor was the caring of the child at a day-care centre. The importance of this factor further increased with increasing recurrence of the attacks. Next in order came the existence of sibling(s) with AOM attacks during the follow-up. Prolongation of breastfeeding increased the protection against AOM during the first year of life. The frequency of AOM attacks was lowest around midsummer and highest in early winter.
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
M
M
Sipilä
P
P
Karma
J
J
Pukander
M
M
Timonen
M
M
Kataja
D000208:Acute Disease; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking