POINT PREVALENCE OF SECRETORY OTITIS-MEDIA IN CHILDREN IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Few reliable data exist on the prevalence of secretory otitis media (S OM) in the Third World. A large epidemiologic cross-sectional study wa s undertaken in two communes in southern Vietnam to study an urban and a rural community during two different climatic conditions: the dry a nd rainy seasons. The participants included 3,300 children (6,598 ears ) ages 6 months to 10 years. Otolaryngological and medical histories w ere obtained, and an otolaryngological examination was carried out on 1,669 children in April 1995 (the dry season) and on 1,631 children in December 1995 (the rainy season). Tympanograms were obtained (n = 6,0 55), 429 of which were type B curves. The overall prevalence of SOM wa s 7.1%, the highest incidence was at the age of 2 years (with a preval ence of 22%), and there was a significantly higher prevalence of SOM d uring the rainy season than during the dry season. No significant diff erence in incidence was found in the urban district as compared to the rural district.