Outcomes of importance to parents and children: Qualitative findings from the mOMEnt study.

Background: Most children with cleft palate (CP) experience otitis media with effusion (OME). However, what they and their parents consider to be important treatment outcomes are unclear. Aims: To explore what children with a CP and their parents thought were important outcomes following treatment for OME. Design: A qualitative study was conducted as part of a larger project to develop a set of core outcomes to be measured in future studies on OME in CP. Data collection: Semi-structured interviews with 22 children and 43 parents were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. They were recruited from two cleft centres in England. Data analysis: Framework analysis was used to develop codes and themes. Results: Parents and children regarded hearing as a key outcome. However, they suggested that they would also look for an improvement in social (e.g. mixing with others) and psychological (e.g. self-confidence) aspects of the child’s life. Parents mentioned the importance of improvements in education, whilst children wanted to ‘fit in’ with friends. Conclusion: Findings show that although clinical outcomes are important to those affected by OME, consideration should also be given to wider psychosocial outcomes when assessing the effectiveness of treatment.