Table 2 Use of diagnostic methods in acute otitis media and advice to parents by GPs1 and STs2
Never | Seldom | Sometimes | Often | Always | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Otoscopy | 0% (0/111) | 0.90% (1/111) | 0.90% (1/111) | 1.8% (2/111) | 96% (107/111) |
Pneumatic otoscopy | 29% (29/101) | 29% (29/101) | 25% (25/101) | 16% (16/101) | 2.0% (2/101) |
Otomicroscopy | 15% (15/103) | 20% (21/103) | 49% (50/103) | 15% (15/103) | 1.9% (2/103) |
Tympanometry | 36% (38/105) | 24% (25/105) | 29% (30/105) | 9.5% (10/105) | 1.9% (2/105) |
Pneumatic otoscopy and/or tympanometry | 14% (15/108) | 21% (23/108) | 38% (41/108) | 23% (25/108) | 3.7% (4/108) |
Combination of pneumatic otoscopy/otomicroscopy and tympanometry | 50% (49/98) | 26% (25/98) | 21% (21/98) | 3.1% (3/98) | 0% (0/98) |
Advice to parents3 | |||||
Oral | 0% (0/111) | 0% (0/111) | 0.90% (1/111) | 5.4% (6/111) | 94% (104/111) |
Written | 41% (40/97) | 24% (23/97) | 16% (16/97) | 12% (12/97) | 6.2% (6/97) |