Hearing and ear status of Pacific children aged 11 years living in New Zealand: the Pacific Islands families hearing study

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
eng
Date
2019
Authors
Purdy , Suzanne C.
Taylor , Steve
Schluter, Philip
Tautolo , El-Shadan
Iusitini , Leon
Ahmad , Zahoor
Sundborn , Gerhard
Paterson , Janis
Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and ear problems in Pacific children, and investigate current and past demographic, health and social factors potentially associated with hearing and ear problems. Design: A cross-sectional observational study design nested within a birth cohort was employed. Study sample: Nine-hundred-twenty Pacific children aged 11 years were audiologically assessed. Using average hearing thresholds at 500, 1k and 2k Hz, 162 (18%) right and 197 (21%) left ears had ≥20 dB hearing loss. Hearing loss was mild (20–39 dB) in most cases; 2% of ears had moderate to moderate-severe (40–69 dB) hearing loss. However, only 101 (11%) children had normal peripheral hearing defined by passing hearing threshold, tympanogram and distortion product otoacoustic emission assessments. Those with confirmed middle ear disease at age 2 years had significantly increased odds of a non-Type A tympanogram (adjusted odds ratio: 2.00; 95% confidence interval: 1.56, 2.50) when re-assessed at age 11 years. Conclusions: Hearing loss, abnormal tympanograms, and auditory processing difficulties were present in many Pacific children. Interventions are also urgently needed to mitigate the effect of the longstanding ear disease likely to be present for many Pacific children.

Description
Citation
Purdy SC, Taylor S, Schluter PJ, Tautolo ES, Iusitini L, Ahmad Z, Sundborn G, Paterson J (2019). Hearing and ear status of Pacific children aged 11 years living in New Zealand: the Pacific Islands families hearing study. International Journal of Audiology. 58(2). 77-86.
Keywords
hearing loss, middle ear disease, auditory processing disorder, children, Pacific health, epidemiology, population health
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
42 - Health sciences::4201 - Allied health and rehabilitation science::420102 - Audiology
45 - Indigenous studies::4516 - Pacific Peoples health and wellbeing::451620 - Pacific Peoples youth and family
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