Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27697331›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of pediatrics2016

Variation in Utilization and Need for Tympanostomy Tubes across England and New England.

Devin M Parker, Laura Schang, Jared R Wasserman, Weston D Viles, Gwyn Bevan, David C Goodman

Abstract readComparative StudyMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of pediatrics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Approaching Social Determinants of Health in Otolaryngology - Head Neck Surgery: Linking Needs to Resources to Promote Health Equity.ORL-head and neck nursing : official journal of the Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Devin M ParkerThe Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH.
Laura SchangDepartment of Management London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany.
Jared R WassermanThe Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH.
Weston D VilesThe Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH.
Gwyn BevanDepartment of Management London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom.
David C GoodmanThe Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Lebanon, NH; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH; Department of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. Electronic address: David.C.Goodman@dartmouth.edu.
Dartmouth College · USDartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice · USLondon School of Economics and Political Science · GBLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München · DE

Funding

Training Program for Quantitative Population Sciences in CancerR25CA134286 · NCI · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · PI KARAGAS, MARGARET RITA, TOSTESON, TOR D · 2009 to 2018
$3.0M
NCI NIH HHS R25 CA134286
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo compare rates of typmanostomy tube insertions for otitis media with effusion with estimates of need in 2 countries. STUDY

designThis cross-sectional analysis used all-payer claims to calculate rates of tympanostomy tube insertions for insured children ages 2-8 years (2007-2010) across pediatric surgical areas (PSA) for Northern New England (NNE; Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire) and the English National Health Service Primary Care Trusts (PCT). Rates were compared with expected rates estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model that integrates clinical guidelines and published probabilities of the incidence and course of otitis media with effusion.

resultsObserved rates of tympanostomy tube placement varied >30-fold across English PCT (N = 150) and >3-fold across NNE PSA (N = 30). At a 25 dB hearing threshold, the overall difference in observed to expected tympanostomy tubes provided was -3.41 per 1000 child-years in England and -0.01 per 1000 child-years in NNE. Observed incidence of insertion was less than expected in 143 of 151 PCT, and was higher than expected in one-half of the PSA. Using a 20 dB hearing threshold, there were fewer tube insertions than expected in all but 2 England and 7 NNE areas. There was an inverse relationship between estimated need and observed tube insertion rates.

conclusionsRegional variations in observed tympanostomy tube insertion rates are unlikely to be due to differences in need and suggest overall underuse in England and both overuse and underuse in NNE.

Indexed as

ChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesEnglandFemaleHealth Services Needs and DemandHumansInfantMaleMiddle Ear VentilationNew EnglandOtitis Media with EffusionappropriatenessChildclinical guidelinesgeographyotitis media with effusionoveruse and underusetympanostomy tubeunwarranted variation

Identifiers

PMID27697331
PMCPMC5530588
OpenAlexW2525686651

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.