Ear disease and hearing in aboriginal and white children in two schools in rural New South Wales.

A survey of 212 Aboriginal and 382 European children attending two primary schools in western New South Wales revealed 60.4% of Aboriginal children's ears and 16.1% of European children's ears to be abnormal. Perforated eardrums were found in 13.9% of Aboriginal and in 0.3% of European children's ears, and this abnormality was strongly associated with low weight and height status. Some degree of deafness in at least one ear was found in 34.8% of Aboriginal children and in 4% of European children. Hearing loss of greater than 25 dB in the better ear was found in 11.6% of Aborigines and in 0.7% of European students in the second to the sixth classes (that is, children aged seven to 13 years). "Running" ears also contributed to prejudice against Aboriginal children. Suggestions are made about a possible medical approach to alleviate ear disease in Aboriginal people.