Abstract
Objectives: The importance of race in acute otitis media (AOM) is controversial. Previous studies analyzed prevalence rates in individual races (eg, Native Americans). The few multiracial studies included subjects with large variations in environmental factors such as socioeconomic status and healthcare access. The Community University Healthcare Clinic (CUHC) in Minneapolis, Minn, cares for a multiracial population of Caucasian, African-American/Somali, Native American, Hispanic, and Hmong children who share a homogeneous environment. To examine the point prevalence rates of AOM and recurrent AOM in a multiracial population within the same environment. To identify a homogeneous environment amenable to the future study of racial factors contributing to AOM and recurrent AOM.
Methods: Retrospective chart review of CUHC data, 1996–2002, for 1519 children. All patients with ICD-9 OM diagnoses in their medical records were analyzed. Recurrent AOM was defined as three or more documented OM infections in the medical chart. Review of otolaryngology referral patterns and audiometric data was included.
Results: Results indicated statistically significant point prevalence rates for AOM of 23% for African-Americans/Somalis, 21% for Hispanics, 18% for Native Americans, 15% for Caucasians, and 9% for Hmong (P < 0.01). Statistically significant point prevalence rates for recurrent AOM were 11%) for African-Americans/Somalis, 10% for Native Americans, 9%ofor Hispanics, 6% for Caucasians, and 3% for Hmong (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Race influences the prevalence of recurrent AOM. Given the frequency of pediatric OM, future prospective analysis of multiracial populations in controlled environments is warranted to further elucidate specific racial contributions to the development of recurrent AOM.