Grant: Prize - IHDCYH Talks

With more than 2.3 million visits annually in Canada, the emergency department (ED) care of children results in considerable financial, emotional, and resource implications for families, health systems and society. Many visits are for minor conditions that could be more aptly treated in other settings or at home (e.g., ear infections, sore throats); moreover, 1 in 5 non-admitted ED visits could be avoided. Ensuring that the best available research informs parents' decisions of when to seek health care can reduce health care utilization. Failure to apply the best available research evidence in health care, otherwise known as knowledge translation (KT) is pervasive in child health, even for common acute pediatric conditions such as ear infections. Acute otitis media in children is very common. It is one of the most common bacterial infections in Canada and a leading cause of health care visits and antibiotic prescriptions. By age three, 60-70% of children will have experienced at least 1 episode of acute otitis media and recurrent episodes are common. AOM is characterized by ear pain, ear tugging, otorrhea, fever, and irritability. Some children also experience decreased appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. AOM causes substantial burden on families (indirect costs, missed work) and the healthcare system (in terms of health services use). A recent US study highlighted that the direct medical costs for treating AOM in children is $4.6 billion annually. AOM is the most common impetus for an antibiotic prescription in childhood, despite the reality that most AOM cases resolve spontaneously. Parental anxiety and uncertainty are common at the time of a child's illness with AOM. Research has highlighted a mismatch between parental expectations of AOM treatment and clinical recommendations which can have a negative impact on parents' health service utilisation and acceptance of and adherence to treatment.