Key points:
- This study evaluated 575 ears of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
(ATSI) children from the An angu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
(APY) lands in South Australia and is the first of its kind in this
population.
- The effect of size, site, and activity of tympanic membrane
perforation on hearing loss​ (HL) was investigated using pure tone
audiometry and video otoscopy measurements.
- HL was greater with middle ear disease activity and with increasing
perforation size.
- The influence of perforation site on HL is conflicting in the
literature. This study shows no significant difference in HL with
perforation location in this population.
- The data demonstrates that children in the APY Lands continue to
experience significant HL associated with TM perforations.