Distribution of Otitis Media

CONCERTED EFFORTS are being made to reduce the incidence of middle ear disease among American Indians, who experience rates several times those of the general U.S. population (1,2). Hearing loss attributable to ear infections in early life also is considerably higher among Indians. To assure that control programs achieve maximum effectiveness and employ resources to optimum advantage, priority attention must be given to persons at greatest risk of hearing loss and other serious consequences of otitis media. The analyses reported here were undertaken to characterize the occurrence of otitis media among selected Arizona Indian populations in an effort to define attributes that would help to identify individuals and groups most likely to be adversely affected. Among the factors considered were: (a) the distribution of otitis media with respect to type, season, and the age and sex of affected persons, (b) age of affected persons at the time of first attack, (c) the relation of age to frequency of attacks, and (d) the interval between the initial and subsequent attacks.