Author(s)

Spero H. Raoul Hounkpatin^1*, Julien Didier Adedemy¹, Marius C. Flatin¹, Senami Florine E. Awassi¹, Sonia Lawson Afouda², François Avakoudjo², Wassi Adjbabi², Sogbadji J. Vodouhè²

¹Faculty of Medicine, University of Parakou, Parakou, Benin.
²Faculy of Health Sciences, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.

Introduction: Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common ENT childhood diseases. Objective: To identify risk factors for AOM in children aged 0 to 5 years. Methods: This research work was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. It focused on 2040 children aged 0 to 5 years from both sexes, who were healthy or sick, and living in the Local government of Parakou for at least one year. Those children were randomly selected in all three districts of Parakou. Results: Frequency of AOM was 2.8% and their prevalence was estimated at 16.3%. The identified risk factors were persistent or chronic cases of rhinitis, exposure to charcoal and wood smoke, low socioeconomic status, personal history of AOM, AOM history among the siblings, and children’s poor nutritional status. No relationship could be established between AOM occurrence and factors like sex, passive smoking, attendance of a day-care centre or stay in nursery, prematurity, exclusive breastfeeding and large number of siblings. Conclusion: The identification of those risk factors will help put in place appropriate measures to reduce AOM prevalence in Parakou.

Acute Otitis Media, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Children

Hounkpatin, S. , Adedemy, J. , Flatin, M. , E. Awassi, S. , Afouda, S. , Avakoudjo, F. , Adjbabi, W. and Vodouhè, S. (2016) Risk Factors for Acute Otitis Media in Children Aged 0 to 5 Years in Parakou. International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 5, 73-78. doi: 10.4236/ijohns.2016.52012.