Otitis Media in Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Scoping Review

Background: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) increases susceptibility to infections, including otitis media (OM). Research establishes the association between malnutrition and OM. Objectives: This scoping review specifically explored the prevalence, risk factors, co-morbidities, and management strategies for OM in children under 5 years with SAM with the goal of identifying future research directions to address gaps in the literature. Methods: A scoping review methodology was adopted to identify the English literature published since 2014. The Arskey and O’Malley framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were followed. EBSCOhost, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched using keywords to refine the search. Results: Seven papers met the inclusion criteria, showing limited studies were available on the topic. Four deductive themes, including prevalence, risk factors, co-morbidities and management strategies, were explored. None of the studies suggested the role of an audiologist in SAM management. Conclusions: Children with SAM face an increased risk of OM due to multiple factors. Associated hearing loss underscores the importance of community-based interventions. Interprofessional collaboration, community education, and integrating audiologists can enhance early OM detection and management for children with SAM. Prospective research and education on audiologists’ roles in SAM management can promote health outcomes in this vulnerable population.