The light at the end of the tunnel associated with the high prevalence of chronic otitis media among Inuit elementary school children in the Eastern Canadian Arctic is now visible.

Longitudinal observations made during the past two decades on the prevalence of chronic ear disease in Inuit Elementary School Children in the Eastern Canadian Arctic reveal that as the current segment of this population enters into the 1990's a significant decrease in the prevalence is occurring. While we can speculate ad infinitum why this is happening we really do not know the answer. The usual cliché is adaptation to contact, improved medical/social services, housing, diet, etc.