Social and economic impact of upper respiratory tract infections in patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy: Evaluation of medication use, school absenteeism, healthcare services, and family medicine visits

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and their social and economic impacts in pediatric patients who underwent tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy. In addition, the study considers the effects of surgery on related clinical conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Methods: This retrospective study included children aged 3 to 12 years who had undergone tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, or adenotonsillectomy. Data regarding the frequency of URTIs, medication use, healthcare visits, and school absenteeism before and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery were collected via questionnaires and analyzed statistically. Results: A significant decrease was observed in the frequency of URTIs, as well as in antibiotic and antipyretic use after surgery (p<0.001). Antibiotic use decreased by 94% as early as the third postoperative month. There was also a notable reduction in visits to healthcare facilities and family physicians. Improvements were recorded in school attendance and parental workday losses. Some improvement was also noted in OSAS-related symptoms following surgery. Conclusion: Tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy is an effective intervention in reducing the frequency of URTIs and their associated social and economic burden in children who do not respond adequately to medical treatment. Additionally, the alleviation of concurrent OSAS symptoms supports the multidimensional benefit of the surgery. These findings provide useful insight for family medicine practices and health policy development.