Abstract
Introduction Paediatric otorrhoea (PO) refers to the leakage of fluid through a perforation in the ear drum, resulting from an infection of the middle ear of a child or young person (CYP). PO frequently results in hearing loss which may lead to developmental delay, restricted communication and reduced educational attainment.
Epidemiological information for PO is largely derived from low-income countries. The aim of this study will be to establish the incidence of PO within the UK and to understand the impact of PO on CYP and their families’ everyday lives. It will build the foundations for a randomised controlled trial investigating the best antibiotic treatment for PO.
Methods and analysis The study will consist of two work packages. (1) Data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), January 2005 to July 2021, will be used to determine the incidence of patient presentations with PO to primary care in the UK. It will also explore the current antimicrobial prescribing practice for PO in primary care. (2) Thirty semi-structured interviews will be conducted from 13 July to 31 October 2023 with CYP and their parents/carers to help identify the impact of PO on everyday life, the patient journey and how service users define treatment success. Three medical professional focus groups will be used to understand the current management practice, how treatment success is measured and acceptability to randomise patients. Thematic analysis will be used.
Ethics and dissemination The Health Research Authority, The Health and Social Care Research Ethics Committee (23/NI/0082) and the CPRD’s research data governance panel (22_002508) reviewed this study. Results will be disseminated at medical conferences, in peer-reviewed journals and via social media. The study will cocreate a webpage on healthtalk.org, with the Dipex Charity, about PO to ensure members of the public can learn more about the condition.
Epidemiological information for PO is largely derived from low-income countries. The aim of this study will be to establish the incidence of PO within the UK and to understand the impact of PO on CYP and their families’ everyday lives. It will build the foundations for a randomised controlled trial investigating the best antibiotic treatment for PO.
Methods and analysis The study will consist of two work packages. (1) Data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), January 2005 to July 2021, will be used to determine the incidence of patient presentations with PO to primary care in the UK. It will also explore the current antimicrobial prescribing practice for PO in primary care. (2) Thirty semi-structured interviews will be conducted from 13 July to 31 October 2023 with CYP and their parents/carers to help identify the impact of PO on everyday life, the patient journey and how service users define treatment success. Three medical professional focus groups will be used to understand the current management practice, how treatment success is measured and acceptability to randomise patients. Thematic analysis will be used.
Ethics and dissemination The Health Research Authority, The Health and Social Care Research Ethics Committee (23/NI/0082) and the CPRD’s research data governance panel (22_002508) reviewed this study. Results will be disseminated at medical conferences, in peer-reviewed journals and via social media. The study will cocreate a webpage on healthtalk.org, with the Dipex Charity, about PO to ensure members of the public can learn more about the condition.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e078052 |
| Journal | BMJ Open |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 5 Sept 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The psychosocial impact of PO on CYP and their care givers is poorly understood. Caregiver concern has been shown to be more prominent than the physical symptoms of PO in the limited published literature. Public involvement (CYP and their carers) during development of this study was supported by a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS) public involvement grant (RDSNW3687). Experts-by-experience described years of recurrent ‘smelly’ discharge negatively impacting on education, sporting activities and socialisation. CYP that were affected, as well as carers, explained that educators and family members seemed to not understand the condition. Caregivers felt that more effective treatment and quicker referral to secondary care was required.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) grant number NIHR204036. DA is supported by the NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC).
Publisher Copyright:
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