Patient Experience of Necrotising Otitis Externa: A Qualitative Study

Background: Necrotising otitis externa (NOE) is a serious infective condition. Patients are typically frail, diagnostic delay is common and severe pain is a key feature. We aimed to qualitatively analyse patient-centred data to identify key themes in patient experience. Methods: Open-ended questionnaires were sent to 28 patients. Responses were qualitatively analysed using a grounded theory approach. Iterative cycles were used to develop codes using a constant comparison technique. Emerging categories were refined to identify core themes. Results: Four main themes emerged: Severe pain, mental health, quality of life and diagnostic delays. Conclusions: This is the first study to explore patient perspectives in NOE. It indicates a need to raise awareness of NOE, to improve symptom management, pain control, and quality of life. This valuable information can be used to identify research priorities, guide service improvements, improve clinical care and feed into the development of a Core Outcome Set for NOE.