‘It is difficult for us to assess the severity!’ a qualitative analysis of parents' expectations to postoperative care after ventilation tube surgery

Objective Surgery with ventilation tubes (VT) in children suffering from otitis media with effusion is quite common. However, the knowledge surrounding parents' expectations to the treatment and postoperative care is sparse. The aim of this study was to describe the parents' expectations to VT surgery and postoperative care shortly after surgery. Methods A qualitative study was conducted based on semi-structured individual interviews with parents recruited from a study where postoperative care was randomized to either an otolaryngologist or the patient's general practitioner (GP). The interviews were conducted within the first weeks after surgery and analyzed by reflexive thematic analysis. Results In total, 13 parents aged 29–42 years participated in the study. We identified three main themes elucidating parents' expectations to VT surgery and postoperative care:1) Preconceptions about VT surgery and hearing - most parents expected surgery to restore the child's normal hearing, and some were uncertain about their knowledge of normal hearing and VT treatment; 2) A safety net to ensure hearing and function - it was reassuring if the child received structured postoperative care that secured and notified appointments and had quick access to a specialist if needed; 3) High-quality care - most parents expected the otolaryngologist to provide the highest level of quality of care due to their specialist competence, special equipment and sufficient understanding of the problem to communicate well with parents. Postoperative care by the GP was perceived as incomplete among most parents due to a lack of both specialist competence and access to audiometry. Conclusion Parents expect postoperative care to safeguard their child as long as needed after VT surgery, and they expect access to high-quality care. Low health literacy among some parents challenges the current method of postoperative care and requires that more emphasis be set on both informing and educating parents regarding hearing and VT treatment.