Children with otitis media in Greenland - A qualitative study of parental experiences.

Introduction: The Greenlandic population has one of the world's highest prevalence of otitis media (OM). Approximately 9-14% of all children suffer from OM during childhood. Due to the climate, lack of infrastructure, and minimal access to specialist services, the Greenlandic healthcare system operates under significant challenges.

Measurement of hearing impairment among Greenlandic school-children: association between self-reported data and clinical examinations.

Background: Multiple ear infections is causing hearing impairment among children all over the world and the health and social consequences track into early adolescence and later in life, if not treated. The monitoring of prevalence in a population is important to assess the need for interventions in a population.

Methods: One hundred eighty  five children from 5 to 10 grade from Sisimiut town and the nearby settlements participated in a clinical examination to have ear-examination and pure tone audiometry.

Prevalence and causes of paediatric hearing loss in a rural province of Zimbabwe: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Hearing loss (HL) in childhood is a significant disability with severe consequences for educational, cognitive, and social-emotional success. Nevertheless, prevalence estimates for HL in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are based on scarce data. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of HL in a sample of primary school children from a rural province of Zimbabwe.

Examination of hearing loss among school-aged children in Greenland.

Background: The highest prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media is seen among children in Greenland. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hearing loss among school children in Sisimiut, the second-largest city in Greenland.

Material And Method: All 423 children from 5th to 10th grade from the two schools in Sisimiut and the nearby settlements were invited to participate.

Stress reactions in a tertiary oto-rhino-laryngological department during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Danish Capital region.

Background: Health care workers (HCW) at otorhinolaryngological departments have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, due to aerosol-inducing diagnostic and surgical procedures in the airways. The ongoing exposure to physical and psychological stressors could impact the mental health of HCW.

Aim/objective: To investigate the impact on mental health in an otorhinolaryngological department during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among healthcare workers in ear-nose-throat clinics.

Introduction: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was established that otorhinolaryngologists were at a high risk of contracting the infection due to examinations of the upper airways. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among healthcare workers (HCWs) in primary ear-nose-throat (ENT) practices.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study among HCWs assessing symptoms of anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder, ten-item scale) and depression (Patients Health Questionnaire, nine-item scale).

Lower thriving among females with hearing impairment than males - a cross-sectional study of 185 primary and secondary students in Greenland.

The prevalence of ear infections and hearing i mpairment among Greenlandic children is amajor public health problem, and studies investigating the association between hearing impairment and thriving among Greenlandic children are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hearing impairment and thriving in asample of school-children in Sisimiut, Greenland. This cross-sectional study included children from 5 to 10 grade from two schools in Sisimiut and two schools located in nearby settlements.

COVID-19 infection rate among tertiary referral center otorhinolaryngology healthcare workers.

Importance: Otorhinolaryngology is considered one of the medical specialties with a high risk for exposure to corona disease 2019 (COVID-19). Uncontrolled transmission in a hospital department poses a risk to both healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients.

Objective: To monitor SARS-CoV-2 incidence, transmission, and antibody development among HCWs to identify high risk procedures, pathways, and work areas within the department.

The impact and prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in patients with head and neck cancer and acute upper airway infection in a tertiary otorhinolaryngology referral center in Denmark.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 at a Danish tertiary referral otorhinolaryngology clinic during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among patients with suspected acute upper airway infection (UAI) and patients operated for head and neck cancer (HNC), respectively. To monitor changes in the number of patient encounters for acute UAI and the number of referrals for the workup of HNC.

Trial Registration: NCT-04356560 (Clinicaltrials.

Panel 6: Otitis media and associated hearing loss among disadvantaged populations and low to middle-income countries.

Objective:: Summarise the published evidence on otitis media and associated hearing loss in low to middle-income countries (LMIC) and disadvantaged populations.

Data Sources:: PubMed and other databases.

Review Methods:: Firstly, sensitive search strategy using ‘otitis media’, combined with specific key words for each topic of the review, from January 2015 to June 2019.

Self-reported hearing impairment among Greenlandic adolescents: Item development and findings from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study 2018.

Objectives: Ear infections are the leading cause of hearing impairment among children worldwide and a major public health problem in many indigenous populations, yet representative studies of self-reported hearing impairment are currently scarce. The purpose of the present study was therefore two-sided; first to develop an item bank for the collection of data on hearing impairment among Greenlandic adolescents, and second to report data on the child reports on hearing impairment from a national questionnaire-based survey.

Methods: The study describes the process of developing items measuring hearing impairment among schoolchildren, and reports data for their inclusion into a national questionnaire survey.

Smartphone otoscopy by non-specialist health workers in rural Greenland: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Greenland has one of the highest prevalences of otitis media in the world. However, access to ear specialists throughout Greenland is limited and currently there are no national guidelines for treatment or prevention. Tele-otoscopy may be beneficial in optimizing diagnosis and treatment.

Improved survival of head and neck cancer patients in Greenland.

Previously, head and neck cancer (HNC) patients in Greenland have had significant diagnostic delay and poor survival rates. From 2005-2009 several initiatives have been made to ensure faster diagnosis and better survival. The aim of this study was to compare the prognosis before and after these initiatives were introduced.

Recurrent otorrhea in chronic suppurative otitis media: is biofilm the missing link?

Dispersal of bacteria from a biofilm in the middle ear, serving as a bacterial reservoir, could explain the recurrent and chronic nature of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). The objective of this study is to investigate if the same strains of bacteria could be detected in repeated episodes of otorrhea in CSOM. In a prospective case series at a primary healthcare clinic in Nuuk, Greenland, patients with more than 14 days of otorrhea were included consecutively.

Panel 1: Epidemiology and Diagnosis.

Objective To create a literature review between 2011 and June 1, 2015, on advances in otitis media (OM) epidemiology and diagnosis (including relevant audiology studies). Data Sources Electronic search engines (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) with a predefined search strategy. Review Methods Articles with appropriate epidemiologic methodology for OM, including acute mastoiditis and eustachian tube dysfunction.

The effects of ventilation tubes versus no ventilation tubes for recurrent acute otitis media or chronic otitis media with effusion in 9 to 36 month old Greenlandic children, the SIUTIT trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The prevalence of otitis media in Greenlandic children is one of the highest in the world. International studies have shown that otitis-prone children may benefit from tubulation of the tympanic membrane. However, it is unknown whether these results can be applied to Greenlandic children and trials on the effects of ventilation tubes in high-risk populations have, to our knowledge, never been conducted.

Chronic suppurative otitis media, middle ear pathology and corresponding hearing loss in a cohort of Greenlandic children.

Background: Otitis media (OM) has been observed at elevated prevalence rates in Greenlandic children. OM associated hearing loss (HL) may compromise the children's linguistic skills, social development and educational achievements.

Objectives: We investigated the prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM), otitis media with effusion (OME) and tympanic membrane sequelae of OM, and compared the corresponding hearing thresholds.

Human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer in Greenland in 1994-2010.

Background: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) is associated with the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), smoking and alcohol. In Greenland, a high rate of HPV-induced cervical cancer and venereal diseases are found, which exposes the population for high risk of HPV infection. In Greenland, only girls are included in the mandatory HPV vaccination program.

The risk of hearing loss in a population with a high prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media.

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) affects 65-330 million people in the developing part of the world and develops in early childhood. Knowledge of the long-term effects on hearing is scarce. Hearing loss (HL) can cause reduced ability to communicate, impair language development and academic skills.

Tobacco smoke increases the risk of otitis media among Greenlandic Inuit children while exposure to organochlorines remain insignificant.

Background: Prenatal exposure to environmental levels of organochlorines (OCs) has been demonstrated to have immunotoxic effects in humans. We investigated the relationship between prenatal exposure to OCs and the occurrence of otitis media (OM) among Inuit children in Greenland.

Methods: We estimated the concentration of 14 PCB congeners and 11 pesticides in maternal and cord blood samples and in breast milk in a population-based cohort of 400 mother-child pairs.

Long-term tympanic membrane pathology dynamics and spontaneous healing in chronic suppurative otitis media.

Background: Children in the developing parts of the world have a high prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). It is estimated that 65 to 330 million people worldwide have CSOM, yet very little is known about the natural course of the disease. The Inuit population of the Arctic regions is among those with the highest prevalences of CSOM.

Long-term follow-up of chronic suppurative otitis media in a high-risk children cohort.

Objective: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is the leading cause of mild to moderate hearing impairment in children worldwide and a major public health problem in many indigenous populations. There is a lack of basic epidemiological facts and knowledge on the development of CSOM, as the disease primarily affects developing countries where research capacities often are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term outcome of CSOM in a high-risk population and to identify risk factors.

Survival of head and neck cancer in Greenland.

Objectives: Head and neck cancer is frequent in the Inuit population of Greenland and is characterized by a very high incidence of Epstein-Barr virus associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, information on the treatment and survival of Inuit head and neck cancer patients is practically non-existent. The aim of this study, therefore, was to analyse the epidemiological pattern, time course and survival of head and neck cancer patients in Greenland.

Acute mastoiditis in Greenland between 1994-2007.

Introduction: The indigenous populations of the Arctic are prone to middle ear infections starting with an early age first episode, followed by frequent episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) during childhood. A high proportion develop chronic otitis media. Acute mastoiditis is a serious complication of AOM in childhood with postauricular swelling, erythema, and tenderness, protrusion of the auricle, high fever and general malaise.