ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Describe the ear and hearing outcomes in Aboriginal infants in an Australian urban area. DESIGN: Aboriginal infants enrolled in the Djaalinj Waakinj prospective cohort study had ear health screenings at ages 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months and audiological assessment at â¼12 months of age. Sociodemographic, environmental characteristics, otoscopy, otoacoustic emissions, tympanometry and visual reinforcement audiometry data were collected. STUDY SAMPLE: 125 infants were enrolled in the study; 67 completed audiological assessment, 62, 54, and 58 of whom attended ear screenings at 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months. RESULTS: Of the children that attended the audiological assessment, 36.5%, 50% and 64.3% of infants had otitis media (OM) at 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months. Using a 10 dB correction factor, 44.8% of infants had hearing loss (HL) (≥ 25 dB HL) at â¼ 12 months of age. More males (X2=5.4 (1df, p = 0.02)) and infants with OM at audiological assessment (X2=5.8 (1df, p = 0.02)) had HL. More infants that used a pacifier at 12-18 months of age had HL (X2=4.7 (1df, p = 0.03)). CONCLUSION: Aboriginal infants in an urban area have high rates of HL and OM, which requires early surveillance and timely treatment to reduce the medical and developmental impacts of OM and HL.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in rural/remote areas suffer high rates of persistent otitis media (OM) from early infancy. We aimed to determine the proportion of Aboriginal infants living in an urban area who have OM and investigate associated risk factors. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2020, the Djaalinj Waakinj cohort study enrolled 125 Aboriginal infants at 0-12 weeks of age in the Perth South Metropolitan region, Western Australia. Proportion of children with OM based on tympanometry at ages 2, 6 and 12 months was evaluated, type B tympanogram indicating middle ear effusion. Potential risk factors were investigated by logistic regression with generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: The proportion of children with OM was 35% (29/83) at 2 months, 49% (34/70) at 6 months and 49% (33/68) at 12 months of age. About 70% (16/23) of those with OM at ages 2 and/or 6 months had OM at 12 months compared with 20% (3/15) if no prior OM (relative risk = 3.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-40.1). On multivariate analysis, infants living in houses with ≥1 person/room were at increased risk of OM (odds ratio = 1.78, 95% CI: 0.96-3.32). CONCLUSION: Approximately half of Aboriginal infants enrolled into the South Metropolitan Perth project have OM by the age of 6 months and early onset of disease strongly predicts subsequent OM. Early surveillance for OM in urban areas is needed for early detection and management to reduce the risk of long-term hearing loss which can have serious developmental, social, behavioural, educational and economic consequences.
