Summary:
In parents of children with acute otitis media, the use of the Ear Pain Decision Aid (EPDA)
significantly improved parental knowledge and engagement in shared decision-making compared to standard care without the EPDA, though it was associated with no significant reduction in antibiotic prescribing rates, likely due to the study’s limited sample size.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Parents of children presenting to the emergency department with acute otitis media. |
| Intervention | Implementation of the Ear Pain Decision Aid (EPDA) to facilitate shared decision-making during the clinical encounter. |
| Comparison | Standard care without the use of a decision aid. |
| Outcome | The EPDA significantly improved parental knowledge and engagement in shared decision-making. However, antibiotic prescribing rates did not differ significantly between groups, potentially due to the study’s limited sample size. The EPDA was found feasible to integrate into emergency department protocols. |
Source: Anderson, Jana L., et al. “Shared decision-making for pediatric acute otitis media in the United States: a randomized emergency department trial.” Read article here.
