No negative outcomes of childhood middle ear disease in adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that childhood middle-ear disease may have disadvantageous long-term psychosocial consequences in adulthood.


METHODS
Prospective, longitudinal study of a general-population birth cohort.


METHODS
One thousand thirty-seven people born in 1972/73 were studied from birth to age 26 when 1,019 (96% of survivors) were followed up. Childhood otitis media was assessed, and effects of it have previously been observed in childhood and adolescence. We considered outcome measures that were plausible adult counterparts of the childhood constructs shown to be impaired by otitis media: socioeconomic status, employment status, educational outcomes, personality, mental health, antisocial and criminal behavior, and subjective ratings of personal health (SF-36).


RESULTS
No outcome measure was predicted by severity of childhood otitis media.


CONCLUSIONS
Adult psychological and socioeconomic outcomes are not related to childhood otitis media when appropriate treatment is available.
Welch
David
D
Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. david.welch@dmhdru.otago.ac.nz
Dawes
Patrick
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000523:psychology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors