The prevalence of hearing impairment amongst Maori schoolchildren

A survey of hearing amongst a population of Maori schoolchildren in the eastern North Island of New Zealand has demonstrated a high prevalence of hearing impairment. Out of 194 children undergoing audiometry an impairment of 20 dB or greater at 0.5, 1.2 and 4 kHz was found in the worse hearing ear in 29% and in the better hearing ear in 12%. Comparison with a similar survey done in the same valley in 1977 revealed an apparent reduction in the prevalence of hearing loss and the prevalence of otitis media. This improvement appears to be due to a reduced prevalence of otitis media. An unexpected finding was that at least 2% of the children had a bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment.