Many Indonesian school children experience otitis media. Otitis media contributes to 57% of all cases of hearing loss among Indonesian school children, according to a study.
A study among Indonesian public-school children shows that 2.5% of the school children experience otitis media.
The most common type of otitis media is chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) with 67% of the children having chronic suppurative otitis media. Acute otitis media (AOM) was found in 17% of the children with otitis media and otitis media with effusion (OME) was found in 15% of the cases with otitis media.
Mostly bilateral hearing loss
In the study, otitis media contributed to 57% of all cases of hearing loss. 79% of the cases of hearing loss due to otitis media were bilateral hearing loss. 21% of the hearing losses were unilateral hearing loss.
Most of the cases of hearing loss were mild to moderate in severity. OME accounted for most of the mild hearing losses, while CSOM accounted for most of the moderate hearing losses.
More cases in rural areas
In the study, there was a significantly higher rate of otitis media related to hearing loss in rural areas than in urban areas.
About the study
7,005 children aged 6 to 15 years participated in the study. 3,563 children were from urban areas and 3,442 from rural areas.
The study “Otitis Media related hearing loss in Indonesian school children” was published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.
Sources: www.nibi.nlm.hih.gov and International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
