Analysis of the prevalence of chronic otolaryngological pathology in children in the Novosibirsk region

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is an increase in the number of chronic forms of otolaryngological diseases among children. Many authors emphasize the high need and low availability of specialized medical care and socioeconomic difficulties, which contribute to the earlier, more frequent, and more severe manifestation of otolaryngological diseases in children. AIM: The study aimed to analyze the prevalence of chronic otolaryngological diseases among the pediatric population in the Novosibirsk Region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A team of researchers from the Novosibirsk State Medical University together with the Novosibirsk City Children’s Clinical Emergency Hospital assessed the specialized otolaryngological care provided to the pediatric population from 2018 to 2023. The statistical data from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Novosibirsk Region were analyzed using a time series analysis, which includes trend lines, a regression analysis, and forecasting. The approximation coefficient indicates a high degree of accuracy in the study. The statistical material was processed using the Statistica 6.0 (StatSoft, 2001) and Excel 2011 software packages. RESULTS: A statistical data analysis from 2012 to 2022 revealed a 74% and 23% increase in the incidence of chronic otitis media and diseases of the tonsils and adenoids, respectively, among children aged 0–17 years in the region. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed an annual increase in chronic otolaryngological pathology among the pediatric population. In the Novosibirsk Region, the number of cases of recurrent and chronic respiratory pathology among children under 14 years of age increased by 10.1%, with a particularly significant increase among 15–17-year-olds, reaching 19.2%. Conversely, the incidence of recurrent and long-term ear and mastoid pathology stabilized and decreased by 19.5% in children aged 0–14 years and by 11.7% in adolescents. For the analyzed period, a significant increase in chronic otolaryngological pathology in the region was found, indicating delayed treatment and low accessibility of specialized medical care for children. The high number of surgeries on the ear, nose, and throat in children indicates a decompensated course of chronic diseases requiring inpatient care and surgical intervention. The availability of specialized care at the disease onset should be ensured to reduce surgical treatment in pediatric otolaryngology.