Middle Ear Infection in Children: Knowledge and Awareness Level Among Parents in Saudi Arabia

Middle ear infections are considered one of the most common reasons for pediatric medical visits. It is usually caused by a blockage of the Eustachian tube. Throughout their lifetime, 80% of all kids will get otitis media, most observed between the ages of 6 to 11 months. This study aims to measure the knowledge and assess the awareness level of Saudi parents towards otitis media among their children. A descriptive study (cross-sectional study) was conducted online across Saudi Arabia from September to December 2022. The online Questionnaire was distributed among Saudi parents who are having children aged ≤10 years old. To analyze the data, Statistical product and services solutions (SPSS) software ver.21.was used. The study included 1062 participants, 74.1% of them were females and 25.9% were males. 32% of study participants aged between 31- 40 years old. 87% heard of middle ear infections. 19.3% reported a history of middle ear infection in a child. 16.9% of study participants had low awareness of middle ear infections, 59.8% had moderate awareness and 23.3% had good awareness. 90.5% of participants reported that visiting a doctor is the first action taken when symptoms of middle ear infections appear in a child, 2.7% use home recipes, 2.4% use heat sinks, and 1.9% use antibiotics without a prescription. The study illustrates poor knowledge and awareness of middle ear infections among Saudi parents. Awareness scores were significantly associated with the age, gender, and educational level of participants.