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Table 5 Longitudinal analyses of ear infections and hearing problems by indigenous status (excluding hearing impairment at baseline)*

From: Longitudinal analysis of ear infection and hearing impairment: findings from 6-year prospective cohorts of Australian children

Non-indigenous children

B cohort

K cohort

Number of ear infections

% (n)

Hearing problems at age 6/7 years AOR [95% CI]

Number of ear infections

% (n)

Hearing problems at age 10/11 years AOR [95% CI]

 Never

 

ref

 Never

 

ref

 Once

9.6 (462)

4.5 [2.8-7.1]

 Once

8.7 (402)

4.6 [2.4-8.7]

 Twice

2.8 (137)

8.9 [4.9-15.9]

 Twice

1.6 (72)

17.1 [7.9-36.7]

 Three times +

0.5 (24)

31.7 [12.7-79.3]

 Three times +

0.5 (22)

51.0 [19.2-135.4]

Indigenous children

B cohort

K cohort

Number of ear infections

% (n)

Hearing problems at age 6/7 years AOR [95% CI]

Number of ear infections

% (n)

Hearing problems at age 10/11 years AOR [95% CI]

 Never

 

ref

 Never

 

ref

 Once

13.9 (31)

n/a

 Once

11.6 (20)

6.1 [0.3-127.0]

 Twice

4.8 (11)

4.8 [0.6-34.2]

 Twice

2.9 (5)

41.9 [0.9-1958.6]

 Three times +

0.4 (1)

n/a

 Three times +

1.2 (2)

n/a

  1. * Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) and 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]; Confounder variables were sex, employment and school completion of parents, remoteness, and SEIFA economic resource (shown in Table 1).