Climatic and racial factors related to the aetiology of secretory otitis media.
This paper studied the incidence of secretory and chronic otitis among a random group of 5,950 children, aged from 4 to 9, coming from four different climatic regions of Spain, and including a group of Gypsy children. Each of the children was given a questionnaire regarding socio-economic and environmental situation and pathological antecedents; the results for sick and normal children were then statistically analysed. The most significant aetiological factors to emerge were: low economic level, prior respiratory infection, climatic conditions, cases of rhinosinusitis and acute otitis, and family history. Among Gypsy children a much greater incidence was observed, due not to racial origin but to the greater incidence of the factors cited above.
D000367:Age Factors; D002558:Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea / Q000150:complications; D002559:Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002980:Climate; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000150:complications; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D006178:Romani People; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain