Quality of Life Assessment Among Patients With Otitis Media With Effusion in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: A frequent pediatric illness known as otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by fluid accumulation in the middle ear without signs of an acute infection. Otitis media with effusion can result in severe speech and hearing development deficits, lowering children’s overall quality of life (QoL). This study uses validated tools to assess the QoL of children with OME in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used. The intended sample included children diagnosed with OME at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Makkah City from March 2023 to March 2024. Data collection was conducted during their follow-up visits using a Google Form. The questionnaire gathered demographic information and evaluated the disease-specific QoL. The questions were categorized into 5 distinct subsets: physical, emotional, hearing loss, speech, and social symptoms. Results: We collected data from 136 participants in the current study. The majority of children fell within the age range of 7 to 8 years old, and the gender distribution was slightly skewed towards males, who accounted for 57.4% of the sample. According to the study, children with OME had severe QoL deficits, especially in the emotional and physical domains. Higher physical symptom scores were linked to frequent ear infections, as children experiencing 3 to 4 ear infections in the past year had a significantly higher physical symptoms score compared with those with 1 to 2 ear infections (beta = 5.01, 95% CI, 1.70–8.31, P = 0.004), and caregivers reported significant emotional anguish and longer absences from work, as those who took 5 to 6 days off had a significantly higher physical symptoms score compared with those who took no days off (beta = 5.02, 95% CI, 1.48–8.56, P = 0.006). Pets and other environmental factors have been associated with higher scores for speech symptoms, as having cats or dogs in the home was associated with a significantly higher speech symptoms score (beta = 5.61, 95% CI, 0.98–10.2, P = 0.019). The Otitis Media outcome-22 questionnaire (OMO-22) subscales had acceptable internal consistency, as indicated by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from 0.697 to 0.924. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that OME significantly reduces children’s QoL in Makkah City and places a heavy burden on their families. Comprehensive and tailored management plans are necessary to address the multiple aspects of OME. Future treatments should focus on mitigating the negative social, emotional, and physical effects of the condition to enhance the overall well-being of affected children and their caregivers.