[Assessment of the management of acute otitis media in children by family practitioners in the North of France]

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the management of acute otitis media in children by paediatricians and general practitioners in the North of France compared with the AFSSAPS (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé) guideline's recommendations of 2005.

Methodology: All eligible family paediatricians (n=68) and a group of general practitioners (n=200) first received a phone call invitation to participate to the study. The volunteers responded to a questionnaire by phone call.

Results: The response rates were 67, 6 % for the group of paediatricians and 64, 5 % for the group of general practitioners. The guideline's recommendations were followed by respectively 28, 3 % and 9, 3 % of primary care physicians. The observation option, recommended in children aged more than 2 years, was followed by 46, 5 % of general practitioners and 54, 3 % of paediatricians. The durations of antibiotics were poorly respected by the 2 groups of physicians. In case of allergy to penicillin, the paediatricians followed more the recommendations than the general practitioners.

Conclusion: Educational interventions are needed in order to improve the adherence to guidelines of paediatricians and general practitioners for the management of acute otitis media in children.