Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Fam Pract. 2024 Jun 12;41(3):321-325. doi: 10.1093/fampra/cmad069.
Treatment guidelines for acute otitis media (AOM) have changed over the past 20 years. Watchful waiting is often recommended as an option for antibiotic treatment and the use of proper pain medication is emphasised.
To study parental experiences and opinions regarding the management of AOM and compare our findings with our previous questionnaire submitted in 2006.
We sent an online survey link through day-care centres and Facebook parental groups in Turku area. Children <4 years of age attending day care were included in the analysis. We asked about the child's history of AOM, parental opinions about AOM treatment, and antibiotic resistance. Results of 2019 were compared with those of 2006.
Altogether 84% (320/381) and 83% (568/681) of children had had at least 1 episode of AOM in 2019 and 2006, respectively. In 2019, more children had been treated without antibiotics (30% vs. 13%, P < 0.001) and fewer parents thought that antibiotics are necessary for the treatment of AOM (70% vs. 85%, P < 0.001) compared with 2006. The use and knowledge of painkillers had increased over the past 13 years. Painkillers had been given at least once to 93% (296/320) of children in 2019 and 80% (441/552) of children in 2006 (P < 0.001).
Today, more parents accept watchful waiting as a treatment option for AOM and give painkillers to their children, which indicates that the education about optimal management of AOM has reached parents.
急性中耳炎（AOM）的治疗指南在过去 20 年中发生了变化。通常建议采用观察等待作为抗生素治疗的一种选择，并强调使用适当的止痛药物。
研究父母对 AOM 管理的经验和看法，并将我们的发现与 2006 年提交的先前问卷调查结果进行比较。
我们通过图尔库地区的日托中心和 Facebook 家长群组发送了在线调查链接。参加日托的 4 岁以下儿童纳入分析。我们询问了孩子 AOM 的病史、父母对 AOM 治疗的看法以及抗生素耐药性的问题。将 2019 年的结果与 2006 年的结果进行比较。
2019 年和 2006 年分别有 84%（320/381）和 83%（568/681）的儿童至少有过一次 AOM 发作。与 2006 年相比，2019 年更多的儿童未接受抗生素治疗（30%比 13%，P < 0.001），更少的父母认为抗生素是 AOM 治疗的必要条件（70%比 85%，P < 0.001）。过去 13 年来，止痛药的使用和知识有所增加。2019 年，93%（296/320）的儿童至少使用过一次止痛药，而 2006 年为 80%（441/552）（P < 0.001）。
如今，更多的父母接受观察等待作为 AOM 的治疗选择，并给孩子服用止痛药，这表明有关 AOM 最佳管理的教育已经普及到了父母。
