title: Prevalence of and risk factors for otitis media with effusion in primary school children: case control study in Erzurum, Turkey.
abstract: A total of 1,021 children attending 2 primary schools in districts in Erzurum were enrolled in a study evaluating the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) and its relationship with various risk factors. The prevalence of OME in this study was 6.8% (69/1021). The difference in OME prevalence between age groups (<9 years, >9 years) was statistically significant (p<0.05). Parental smoking (p<0.001), history of acute otitis media (AOM) and recent history of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (p<0.001), socioeconomic status (p < 0.05), family size (p<0.001), educational status of the parents (p<0.05) and breastfeeding history (p<0.05) were also statistically significant factors. Sex (p>0.05), consanguineous marriage (p>0.05) and history of hearing loss in the parents (p>0.05) were not statistically significant. Parents need to be informed about the symptoms of and risk factors for OME to avoid delayed diagnosis, which can lead to permanent hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Dumlupınar University Evliya Çelebi Research and Training Hospital, Kütahya, Turkey. ckucur@mynet.com.
authors.forename: Cüneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kucur
authors.forename: Eda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Şimşek
authors.forename: Ozan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuduban
authors.forename: İsa
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Özbay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology