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

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.