Observations on the prevalence of ear disease in the Inuit and Cree Indian school population of Kuujjuaraapik.

In the last twenty years it has been recognized that hearing loss as the result of middle ear infection and/or noise exposure is a major problem among Canadian Inuit. In the past ten years in the Eastern Canadian Arctic attempts have been made to alleviate the problem and physicians, audiologists and educators have been involved in treatment, training programs and research with varying degrees of success. In the last few years the Quebec Inuit have become more aware of these problems and have asked for assistance. Whatever evolves, Inuit co-operation and advice is essential; their cultural identity must be respected if any project is to be successful. In February, 1984, a program outline working paper entitled "Program for Combatting Hearing Disorders in the Inuit Population of Nouveau Quebec" was circulated by Project Nord-Laval University. The goal of the program was "to ensure the integrity of hearing for the Inuit by preventing hearing loss, identifying hearing loss and minimizing the effects of hearing loss." In October, 1984 a Pilot Project involving the school population at Kuujjuaraapik was carried out involving personnel from the Project Nord-Laval University, the Department of Otolaryngology and the School of Human Communication Disorders-McGill University.