Ear disease in three Aboriginal communities in Western Australia

Kelly, Heath; Weeks, Sharon

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1991.tb121080.x

Cited by 34 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Rates of otitis media among urban and rural Indigenous children also differ. A Perth‐based study found that 0.7% of urban Indigenous children had a 30 dB hearing loss, compared with 20% of children in a Western Australian rural Indigenous community the same year 13 …”

Section: Complications — General Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complications of otitis media in Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children

O’Connor

Perry

Lannigan

2009

Medical Journal of Australia

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In Australia, three to five children die each year because of otitis media complications, and 15 children will suffer permanent hearing loss each year as a result of otitis media. Extracranial complications occur most commonly, and include mastoiditis, cholesteatoma and otitis media with perforation. Intracranial complications are less common, and include meningitis, brain abscess and lateral sinus thrombosis. In Australia, approximately 60% of extracranial and intracranial complications of otitis media occur in children. The contrasting rates of childhood otitis media among Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children have implications for the frequency and types of complications occurring in both groups. Otitis media with effusion and acute otitis media predominate among non‐Indigenous children, whereas chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) occurs most commonly among Indigenous children. The incidence of mastoiditis in Australia is low by international standards (2/100 000 children), but cholesteatoma rates among Indigenous children in Australia are higher than previously estimated (up to 10% in CSOM). A high rate of chronic tympanic membrane perforation occurs among Indigenous children, estimated to be as high as 80%. Intracranial complications of otitis media are uncommon, but are potentially life‐threatening and are more likely to occur among Indigenous than non‐Indigenous children. Reduced access to medical care, lower socioeconomic status and remote living conditions mean that levels of early childhood hearing loss among Indigenous children are likely to be underestimated. This has implications for early childhood speech and language development and education.

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Section: Complications — General Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complications of otitis media in Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children

O’Connor

Perry

Lannigan

2009

Medical Journal of Australia

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“…Chronic middle ear disease, especially chronic suppurative otitis media, is highly prevalent among Australian Aboriginal children from early infancy resulting in hearing loss and subsequent educational and social disadvantage 1–3 . In some communities, one‐third of children have tympanic membrane (TM) perforations 3 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Outcomes of myringoplasty in Australian Aboriginal children and factors associated with success: a prospective case series

Mak

MacKendrick²,

Bulsara

et al. 2004

Clin Otolaryngol

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The objective of this study was to assess the outcomes of myringoplasties in Aboriginal children and to identify factors associated with a successful outcome with the use of prospective case series from primary health care clinics and hospitals in four rural and remote regions of Western Australia. All 58 Aboriginal children, aged 5-15 years, who underwent 78 myringoplasties between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2001 were included in the study. Complete postoperative (post-op) follow-up was achieved following 78% of myringoplasties. The main outcome measures were (a) success, i.e. an intact tympanic membrane and normal hearing six or more months post-op in the operated ear, (b) closure of the perforation, (c) Post-op hearing improvement. Forty-nine per cent of myringoplasties were successful, 72% resulted in closure or reduction in the size of the perforation and 51% resulted in hearing improvement. After controlling for age, sex, clustering and number of previous myringoplasties, no association was observed between success or hearing improvement and perforation size, or the presence of serous aural discharge at the time of surgery. Myringoplasty resulted in hearing improvement and/or perforation closure in a significant proportion of children. Thus, primary school-aged Aboriginal children in whom conservative management of chronic suppurative otitis media has been unsuccessful should have access to myringoplasty because of the positive impact on their socialization, language and learning that results from improved hearing.

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“…The literature provides specific data on the burden of otitis media subtypes. In relation to tympanic membrane perforation, Watson and Clapin, 22 Foreman et al , 23 Kelly and Weeks, 21 and Foreman 19 found tympanic membrane perforation prevalence rates in Indigenous children as high as 37, 31, 50 and 36 per cent (of ears examined), respectively. By way of comparison, longitudinal studies have found prevalences of ‘persistent perforation’ and ‘perforation always or usually’ of 35 per cent 12 and 34 per cent 7 , respectively, in Indigenous populations.…”

Section: Results and Analysis: Epidemiologymentioning

confidence: 98%