This proposal has two objectives: First, a description of current practice patterns used to manage Medicaid children with otitis media using the Colorado Medicaid Medical Events Database (M-Med). This Medicaid database reorganizes selected data elements from pharmacy, hospital, and outpatient claims into relational tables that can stratify by care provider and type of Medicaid recipient (i.e., AFDC). The dependent variables in the M-Med analysis will include visits for otitis media (acute, chronic, and undetermined for suppurative and nonsuppurat- ive types) and surgical procedures (tympanotomy tubes and adenoidectomy). The independent variables will include age, sex, pharmacological therapies (antibiotics, decongestants, antihistamines, steroids), other interventions (audiology and speech), source of care (i.e., primary care provider, community health center), and location of care (urban or rural). Using this data, the expenditures associated on Medicaid children with otitis media can be estimated.
