Jiunn-Yih Su1, Vincent Yaofeng He1, Steven Guthridge1, Damien Howard2, Amanda Leach3, Sven Silburn1. 1. Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory. 2. Phoenix Consulting, Northern Territory. 3. Ear Health Research Program, Child Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Northern Territory.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between hearing impairment (HI) and Year 1 school attendance in Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. METHODS: Observational cohort study (n=3,744) by analysing linked individual-level information for Aboriginal children from the NT Government school attendance records, NT Perinatal Register and Remote Hearing Assessment dataset, and community level data for relative remoteness, socioeconomic disadvantage and housing crowdedness. RESULTS: Children with unilateral hearing loss, mild HI and moderate or worse HI had significantly lower Year 1 attendance than those with normal hearing, attending 5.6 (95%CI, -9.10 ∼-2.10), 4.0 (95%CI, -7.17 ∼-0.90) and 6.1 (95%CI, -10.71 ∼-1.49) days fewer, respectively. Other variables that yielded significant association were: male gender, having attended preschool less than 20% of available days, speaking English as second language, twin birth and average household size >5. CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal children with any level of HI are likely to have lower school attendance rates in Year 1 than their peers with normal hearing. Implications for public health: In this population, where the prevalence of otitis media and accompanying HI remains extremely high, the early detection and management of hearing loss on entry into primary school should be included in the measures to improve school attendance.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between hearing impairment (HI) and Year 1 school attendance in Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. METHODS: Observational cohort study (n=3,744) by analysing linked individual-level information for Aboriginal children from the NT Government school attendance records, NT Perinatal Register and Remote Hearing Assessment dataset, and community level data for relative remoteness, socioeconomic disadvantage and housing crowdedness. RESULTS:Children with unilateral hearing loss, mild HI and moderate or worse HI had significantly lower Year 1 attendance than those with normal hearing, attending 5.6 (95%CI, -9.10 ∼-2.10), 4.0 (95%CI, -7.17 ∼-0.90) and 6.1 (95%CI, -10.71 ∼-1.49) days fewer, respectively. Other variables that yielded significant association were: male gender, having attended preschool less than 20% of available days, speaking English as second language, twin birth and average household size >5. CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal children with any level of HI are likely to have lower school attendance rates in Year 1 than their peers with normal hearing. Implications for public health: In this population, where the prevalence of otitis media and accompanying HI remains extremely high, the early detection and management of hearing loss on entry into primary school should be included in the measures to improve school attendance.
Authors: Amanda Jane Leach; Edward Kim Mulholland; Mathuram Santosham; Paul John Torzillo; Peter McIntyre; Heidi Smith-Vaughan; Nicole Wilson; Beth Arrowsmith; Jemima Beissbarth; Mark D Chatfield; Victor M Oguoma; Peter Stanley Morris Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2021-03-08 Impact factor: 2.125
Authors: Amanda Jane Leach; Edward Kim Mulholland; Mathuram Santosham; Paul John Torzillo; Peter McIntyre; Heidi Smith-Vaughan; Nicole Wilson; Beth Arrowsmith; Jemima Beissbarth; Mark D Chatfield; Victor M Oguoma; Paul Licciardi; Sue Skull; Ross Andrews; Jonathan Carapetis; Joseph McDonnell; Vicki Krause; Peter Stanley Morris Journal: Vaccine X Date: 2021-02-15
Authors: Patricia MacFarlane; Geraint B Rogers; Steven L Taylor; Lito E Papanicolas; Alyson Richards; Furdosa Ababor; Wan Xian Kang; Jocelyn M Choo; Charmaine Woods; Steve L Wesselingh; Eng H Ooi Journal: BMC Microbiol Date: 2022-01-13 Impact factor: 3.605
Authors: Kelvin Kong; Alan Cass; Amanda Jane Leach; Peter Stanley Morris; Amy Kimber; Jiunn-Yih Su; Victor Maduabuchi Oguoma Journal: Trials Date: 2021-06-16 Impact factor: 2.279