Wideband Absorbance Among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and Non-Aboriginal Children With Suspected Otitis Media Living in an Australian Urban Area

Otitis media (OM) is a significant health concern, particularly among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children who experience one of the highest rates of OM globally. This study aimed to evaluate the use and differences of wideband absorbance at ambient pressure (WBA) among urban Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal children with suspected OM based on standard tympanometry.

We conducted a cross-sectional observational study in Perth, Western Australia, recruiting children from both tertiary and community-based healthcare settings. A total of 53 children (106 ears) were included in this study, of which 30 children (60 ears) were Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (mean age 4.67 ± 3.76, range: 0.59 to 14.96 years) and 23 children (46 ears) were non-Aboriginal (mean age 3.94 ± 1.53, range: 1.93 to 6.01 years). Each child underwent an audiological assessment, which included otoscopy, single-frequency tympanometry, WBA, otoacoustic emissions, and age-appropriate audiometry. Audiologist examination and interpretation of standard audiological results served as the reference standard for a suspected OM diagnosis.

WBA analysis was performed on 104 ears, of which 30 ears were diagnosed with suspected OM using single-frequency tympanometry results. When comparing ears, mean WBA was similar between non-Aboriginal children and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children without suspected OM at all frequencies ( p > 0.05). Mean WBA was significantly reduced between 500 and 4000 Hz in all children with suspected OM, with a peak difference at 1600 Hz observed between groups ( p < 0.001). Overall, WBA was more reduced in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children with suspected OM compared with non-Aboriginal children with suspected OM, the only significant difference was observed at 800 Hz ( p = 0.037).

For this sample of children living in an urban area, WBA is significantly reduced in the ears of children with suspected OM compared with those children with healthy middle ears. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children without suspected OM show comparable WBA results to non-Aboriginal children with normal ears. However, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children with suspected OM exhibit lower overall WBA than their non-Aboriginal peers with OM, with a significant difference observed at 800 Hz. These findings support previous research that suggests WBA may be a valuable tool in detecting OM, particularly in high-risk populations. Further research is needed to investigate the factors contributing to reduced WBA in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children with OM and to validate WBA's potential in addressing the under-detection of OM in this population.