Patterns of Ear Morbidities Among Pediatric Age Group: A Tertiary Care Hospital-Based Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of specific pediatric ear morbidities and assess their association with age and sex, while hypothesizing that there may be significant differences across demographic groups for pediatric ear morbidities. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Creek General Hospital and United Hospital, Karachi, from 2019 to 2023. A total of 788 children aged 4-12 years presenting with ear-related morbidities were enrolled using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using a structured evaluation form that captured demographic information and diagnostic categories. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS version 27, utilizing descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test to examine associations (p ≤ 0.05). Results: Among the 788 participants, 49.24% (388) were male and 50.76% (400) female, with a majority aged 8-12 years. The most frequent diagnosis was otitis media with effusion (OME) 41.24% (325), followed by chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) 19.29% (152) and acute otitis media (AOM) 15.48% (122). Less common conditions included otitis externa 9.26% (73), impacted cerumen 10.41% (82), and foreign body presence in the ear 2.54% (20). Overall, ear morbidities showed no significant variation by age or sex, except for impacted earwax and AOM, which exhibited age- and sex-related differences, respectively (P-value <0.05). Conclusion: OME, CSOM, and AOM emerged as the most prevalent ear morbidities among pediatric patients in tertiary care settings. These findings suggest that early diagnosis and timely intervention may help mitigate complications and are therefore recommended as important public health measures. Efforts to address underlying factors such as inadequate healthcare access and poor hygiene in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas are crucial. Further research focusing on regional disparities and preventive strategies is recommended.