Ear Disease in Rural Australia

Aboriginals in rural Australia have a higher over-all prevalence of otitis media and tympanic scarring than non-Aboriginals. Over-all, 11% of 60273 Aboriginals had otitis media and 29.1% had scarring in one or both ears, although the rates varied widely in different regions. Of 37713 non-Aboriginals, 1.1% had otitis media and 13.5% had scarring in one or both ears. Children less than 10 years of age had the highest prevalence of otitis media in both racial groups. A lower proportion of the otitis media was "glue ear" in Aboriginals than in non-Aboriginals. The pattern of prevalence of otitis media and scarring suggests that otitis media occurs more frequently and lasts longer in Aboriginals. Scarring rates suggest that otitis media is less frequent now than in the past in non-Aboriginals, but is more frequent in Aboriginals.