Pages 312-314 in J. Lepp�¤luoto, ed. Circumpolar Health 2003. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Nuuk, Greenland, September 10-14, 2003. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2004;63(Suppl.2)
Hearing and Otitis Program, Tulattavik Health Centre, Kuujjuaq, Quebec
Source
Pages 312-314 in J. Lepp�¤luoto, ed. Circumpolar Health 2003. Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Circumpolar Health, Nuuk, Greenland, September 10-14, 2003. International Journal of Circumpolar Health. 2004;63(Suppl.2)
OBJECTIVES: Chronic otitis media (COM) and associated hearing loss is a frequent problem for many Inuit children in Canada. In this study, we evaluated individuals aged 12-16 years living in Inukjuak, to determine the prevalence of middle ear disease and hearing loss, and the effect of hearing loss on academic performance. METHODS: Otological examination, hearing test, medical and school file review were performed in November 1997. 88 individuals were seen. RESULTS: Otological examination revealed maximal scarring in 1.8%, minimal scarring in 34.9%, normal eardrums in 49.1% and chronic otitis media in 16.9%. There were 62 individuals whose ear exams could be directly compared with a previous exam done in 1987. Of those, there were three ears that had developed COM and 4/13 ears with COM in 1987 that had healed. Hearing tests found bilateral normal hearing in 80% (PTA