Otoscopic and audiologic findings in an ati community in Boracay

ABSTRACT

Background: Certain indigenous populations have been noted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to havethe highest prevalence ratesforchronicsuppurativeotitis media (CSOM), including the Australian Aborigines (28-43%), Greenlanders (2-10%) and Alaskan Eskimos (2-10%). Objectives: To determine the prevalence of common ear problems, particularly CSOM, among the indigenous Ati or Aeta community in Bolabog, Boracay, and to determine their hearing sensitivity using screening audiometry. Methods: Study Design - Descriptive cross-sectional study. Setting - A small Ati community in Bolabog, Boracay. Population - A total of 63 adults and children underwent medical interview and otoscopy. Additionally 24 had their hearing screened by audiometry. Results: About a quarter of the population participated in the study, including 41 children (40 percent of all children) and 22 adults (18 percent of all adults). Forty-six percent of children and 23 percent of adults who were examined had previous history of ear discharge, while 22 percent of children and 45 percent of adults who were examined had history of hearing loss. Seventeen percent of children had history of hearing loss in the family. CSOM was found in 18 (43.90 percent) children and 8 (36.36 percent) adults. Impacted cerumen was found in 17.1 percent of children. Eleven female children underwent screening audiometry. Of these, eight had normal hearing and three had abnormal findings. Thirteen adults were also tested, five of whom were male and had normal hearing bilaterally. Four of eight female adults had abnormal hearing, of which three were unilateral. Conclusions: The Ati population in Bolabog, Boracay belongs to a group with the highest prevalence rates for CSOM (27.0 percent). A bigger sample for screening audiometry is required for proper estimation of hearing loss prevalence. Both environmental and genetic factors may have increased the prevalence of CSOM in the Ati population of Boracay. (Author)