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Quality of life for children with otitis media
R M Rosenfeld1, A J Goldsmith, L Tetlus
1Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, State University of New York, Health Science Center at Brooklyn, and Long Island College Hospital, 11201, USA.
Insights
The OM-6 survey effectively measures health-related quality of life in children with otitis media, demonstrating reliability and responsiveness. This tool aids in assessing treatment outcomes and clinical care for pediatric ear infections.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Health-Related Quality of Life Research
- Clinical Outcomes Assessment
Background:
- Otitis media is a common childhood illness impacting quality of life.
- Existing measures may not fully capture the multifaceted effects of otitis media.
- A validated tool is needed for assessing quality of life in pediatric otitis media patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate changes in health-related quality of life for children diagnosed with otitis media.
- To assess the validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the OM-6 survey.
- To establish the OM-6 as a suitable measure for clinical trials and routine care.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study was conducted in a hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology practice.
- 186 children (6 months to 12 years) with chronic or recurrent otitis media participated.
- The 6-item Otitis Media-6 (OM-6) quality-of-life survey was administered at baseline and after 4 weeks, alongside clinical assessments.
Main Results:
- The OM-6 survey demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (R=0.87) and construct validity (e.g., R=-0.64 with global QoL).
- The survey showed high responsiveness to change, with a standardized response mean of 1.7 after tympanostomy tube insertion.
- Scores correlated well with clinical changes (R=0.66), indicating its sensitivity to treatment effects.
Conclusions:
- The OM-6 survey is a valid, reliable, and responsive instrument for measuring quality of life in children with otitis media.
- Its brevity and ease of use make it ideal for outcomes studies, clinical trials, and clinical practice.
- The OM-6 facilitates better assessment of the impact of otitis media and its treatment on children's well-being.
Objective:
To evaluate changes in health-related quality of life for children with otitis media.
Design:
Cohort study using a 6-item quality-of-life survey (OM-6) representing the domains of physical suffering, hearing loss, speech impairment, emotional distress, activity limitations, and caregiver concerns.
Setting:
Hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology practice in a metropolitan area.
Patients:
One hundred eighty-six children aged 6 months to 12 years (median age, 3.4 years) with chronic otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media.
Intervention:
The OM-6 was completed at entry by the child's caregiver and again at least 4 weeks after routine clinical care. Otoscopic findings, static admittance, tympanometric width, audiometric thresholds, and ear-related global quality of life (10-point visual scale) were recorded concurrently.
Main Outcome Measures:
Test-retest reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness to longitudinal change of the OM-6 survey score (mean value of the 6 items).
Results:
Excellent test-retest reliability was obtained for the survey score (R=0.87) and individual survey items (R> or =0.71). The median survey score was 2.8 (95% confidence interval, 2.7-3.0) of a maximum 7.0, with higher values indicating poorer quality of life. Construct validity was shown by significant correlations between the survey score and global ear-related quality of life (R=-0.64), between physical suffering and physician visits in the past month (R=0.47), and between caregiver concerns and antibiotics consumed in the past month (R=0.26). The mean change in survey scores after tympanostomy tubes was 1.7, with a standardized response mean of 1.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.4-2.0), indicating large responsiveness to change. The change score was reliable (R=0.82) and correlated well with the degree of reported clinical change (R=0.66).
Conclusions:
The OM-6 is a valid, reliable, and responsive measure of quality of life for children with otitis media. The brevity and ease of administration make the OM-6 ideal for use in outcomes studies, clinical trials, and routine clinical care.