Otitis Media in the First Year of Life in Two Eskimo Communities

Severe otitis media of early onset is particularly prevalent among Eskimo infants. An investigation of health records of all infants born in 1984 and served by two health facilities was undertaken to assess the relative significance of three particular variables associated with this problem: 1) sex versus age, 2) sex versus severity, and 3) sex versus other health conditions. Ninety-five percent of the children in one locale and 74.4% in the other had at least one episode during the first year of life. While none of the comparisons were statistically significant, infants at the northernmost community were generally more severely affected; females in each community were found to have 1) fewer and less severe episodes of disease, 2) the first episode at a later age, 3) fewer episodes during the year, and 4) fewer episodes of bilateral disease.