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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Susan Farner, PhD and Lauren Vanduyn, BS. Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1206 S. Fourth St, 127 Huff Hall, Champaign, IL 61820, 217-333-6876, sfarner@uiuc.edu

The healthcare industry today is more complex than ever before and physicians are faced with a wide variety of pressures. The treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) is one disease laden with pressures for the physician. Malpractice concerns, pressure from parents, growing insurance costs, and other factors are increasingly present. Due to all of these factors and the growing concern about antibiotic resistance, attention has recently been devoted to the treatment of AOM. New clinical practice guidelines were released in May of 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians addressing proper diagnosis and treatment of AOM. After the guidelines were released, surveys were sent to physicians in Illinois to analyze the usage of and barriers to incorporating the guidelines into practice. These surveys assessed usage and barriers in allopathic pediatricians and osteopathic physicians and in urban and rural locations. Survey results indicated that barriers to utilizing the guidelines were heavily dependent upon physician location. Significant differences were observed when comparing perceived barriers in urban versus rural areas. Barriers that intensified in rural locations include: the physicians ability to reach parents for follow-up, patients ability to obtain prescriptions if needed after hours, evaluation of the child's condition by parents, and patients cost of a second office call.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Define acute otitis media.
• 2. Identify barriers facing rural physicians.
• 3. Recognize the difference of opinion among physicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of acute otitis media.

Keywords: Antibiotic Resistance, Rural Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation