Ear and hearing outcomes in Aboriginal infants living in an urban Australian area: the birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

Describe the ear and hearing outcomes in Aboriginal infants in an Australian urban area.

DESIGN

Aboriginal infants enrolled in the prospective cohort study had ear health screenings at ages 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months and audiological assessment at ∼12 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 ∼ 12 months of age. More males (X=5.4 (1df, p = 0.02)) and infants with OM at audiological assessment (X=5.8 (1df, p = 0.02)) had HL. More infants that used a pacifier at 12-18 months of age had HL (X=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.