The incidence and health burden of earaches attributable to recreational swimming in natural waters: a prospective cohort study

Table 1 Beachgoers with and without earache 10–12 days after beach visit, by demographic characteristics ^1,2

	Earache
	No		Yes		Total
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Age category
1 and under	1058	97.6	26	2.4	1084	100.0
2–5	3478	98.0	70	2.0	3548	100.0
6–10	4819	97.7	111	2.3	4930	100.0
11–19	7839	98.4	125	1.6	7964	100.0
20–50	26723	98.5	407	1.5	27130	100.0
Over 50	7586	99.0	80	1.0	7666	100.0
Sex
Male	23289	98.6	333	1.4	23622	100.0
Female	29037	98.3	493	1.7	29530	100.0
Race
Non-white	21060	98.4	337	1.6	21397	100.0
White	31241	98.5	489	1.5	31730	100.0
Swimmingexposure
No contact	14037	99.0	144	1.0	14181	100.0
Contact withouthead immersion	13351	98.7	179	1.3	13530	100.0
Head immersion	24736	98.0	501	2.0	25237	100.0
Contact withunfamiliar animals
No	48059	98.5	727	1.5	48786	100.0
Yes	4371	97.7	102	2.3	4473	100.0
Used sunblock
No	19195	98.7	250	1.3	19445	100.0
Yes	32964	98.3	573	1.7	33537	100.0
Used insect repellent
No	47355	98.5	723	1.5	48078	100.0
Yes	4824	97.9	101	2.1	4925	100.0
Asthma
No	48615	98.5	733	1.5	49348	100.0
Yes	3786	97.5	96	2.5	3882	100.0
Chronic skin condition
No	49942	98.5	780	1.5	50722	100.0
Yes	2454	98.0	49	2.0	2503	100.0
Allergies
No	43808	98.6	635	1.4	44443	100.0
Yes	8569	97.8	194	2.2	8763	100.0
Used earplugs
No	51781	98.4	816	1.6	52597	100.0
Yes	568	97.8	13	2.2	581	100.0
Other swimming ³
No	35708	98.8	449	1.2	36157	100.0
Yes	16648	97.8	379	2.2	17027	100.0
Beach type
Fresh	20437	98.7	267	1.3	20704	100.0
Marine	31996	98.3	562	1.7	32558	100.0

¹Including waders, excluding those with earache at baseline and earache due to allergy (N = 53,262).
²Categories may not add to 53,262 due to missing values.
³Other head immersion swimming in the 1-week prior to the beach visit.

ISSN: 1476-069X