Preliminary study on the feasibility of a two-stage screening strategy for otitis media with effusion in children.

AIM: To evaluate the feasibility of a two-stage screening strategy for otitis media with effusion (OME) in pre-school and school children. The risk factors of OME were also studied.

METHODS

One hundred and eighty-nine children aged 4-8 years were recruited. The two-stage screening consisted of an on-site screening with a portable otoscopy along with a questionnaire to both diagnose children with OME and identify children at risk, and a standard screening performed at a regional hospital for final diagnosis. The prevalence detected from the two-stage screening approach was compared to the actual prevalence.

RESULTS

The detection rate of OME through the two-stage screening approach was not significantly different from the actual prevalence rate (12.7% vs. 13.4%, P = 0.847). Children from the urban area had a lower risk for OME than that from the rural area (P = 0.007, odds ratio (OR) = 0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.11-0.74). Compared to childcare dining, family dining helped to reduce the chance of OME (P < 0.001, OR = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.06-0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

The two-stage screening strategy was effective for screening for OME among pre-school and school children. It can be used in rural areas that have a high prevalence of OME and limited medical resources.