| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 15
| Issue : 2 | Page : 135-139 |
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Acute otitis media complicating upper respiratory tract infection: Knowledge and treatment outcomes in health professionals
Adeyi A Adoga, Tonga L Nimkur
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Adeyi A Adoga
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2276-7096.123600
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Background: Upper respiratory tract infections (UTRIs), which may be complicated by acute otitis media (AOM), account for a large number of visits to the primary physician especially in the developed world.
Materials and Methods: This study aims to determine the knowledge and treatment outcomes of UTRIs complicated by AOM in health professionals at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.
Results: One hundred and forty-one participants aged 25-59 years with a mean age of 42 years (standard deviation (SD= ±12.5) ±12.5) were studied, constituting 94 males and 47 females giving a male to female ratio of 2:1. One hundred and twenty-five (88.7%) participants had experienced an UTRI within the last year of the study of which 37 (26.2%) had spread to the ears. Four (3.2%) participants presented to the otolaryngologist with AOM. None presented to the primary care physician. Thirty-seven (36%) participants used drug combinations, while 66 (64%) used single drug regimens. Eighty-four (81.6%) participants used various antibiotics with seven (6.8%) using a bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotic in combination. Four (3.2%) participants obtained prescriptions from the otolaryngologist, 99 (79.2%) got their medications over-the-counter, while 22 (17.6%) had spontaneous resolution of symptoms without the use of medications. All participants had complete resolution of symptoms following treatment. Conclusion: Education of health professionals on the otologic complications of UTRIs is vital to prevent debilitating sequelae. |
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