Pediatric otologic health disparities in Hispanic populations: A PRISMA-based systematic review

This systematic review aims to determine the impact of social determinants of health (SDoHs), such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and insurance status, on access to care for Hispanic children with otologic conditions. Identifying targetable disparities is vital to improve health equity in the United States.

A systematic review of PubMed and Scopus databases, all years through February 2023, for articles evaluating health disparities related to pediatric otology conditions or settings was conducted. Inclusion criteria included all peer-reviewed publications of any design and publication date which focused on health disparities and otology outcomes among Hispanic pediatric participants (0-18 years old) in the United States. Eligibility assessment was performed via two independent investigators.

Of 373 unique abstracts, 59 studies underwent full-text review, and 22 remained for final evaluation. The three most frequently examined topics were hearing loss (10/22, 45.5%), otitis media (7/22, 31.8%), and microtia or aural atresia (2/22, 9.1%). Race or ethnicity (n = 20) and insurance status (n = 15) were the most common disparity categories discussed, while primary language (n = 4), parental education (n = 2), and family structure (n = 2) were least discussed.

This study captures the existing literature regarding health disparities affecting pediatric Hispanic populations and outcomes in otology. The lack of robust data suggests further studies are needed to investigate factors influencing otologic care in this growing minority population and pushes for specific collection and evaluation of SDoHs.