title: Ear Infection and Its Associated Risk Factors in First Nations and Rural School-Aged Canadian Children.
abstract: Background. Ear infections in children are a major health problem and may be associated with hearing impairment and delayed language development. Objective. To determine the prevalence and the associated risk factors of ear infections in children 6-17 years old residing on two reserves and rural areas in the province of Saskatchewan. Methodology. Data were provided from two rural cross-sectional children studies. Outcome variable of interest was presence/absence of an ear infection. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between ear infection and the other covariates. Results. The prevalence of ear infection was 57.8% for rural Caucasian children and 43.6% for First Nations children living on-reserve. First Nations children had a lower risk of ear infection. Ear infection prevalence was positively associated with younger age; first born in the family; self-reported physician-diagnosed tonsillitis; self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma; and any respiratory related allergy. Protective effect of breastfeeding longer than three months was observed on the prevalence of ear infection. Conclusions. While ear infection is a prevalent condition of childhood, First Nations children were less likely to have a history of ear infections when compared to their rural Caucasian counterparts.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: Chandima P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Karunanayake
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Room 2D01, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Albritton
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: Donna C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4; Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 0W8.
authors.forename: Joshua A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.affiliation: Community A, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCallum
authors.affiliation: Community B, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: P Jenny
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gardipy
authors.affiliation: Community B, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seeseequasis
authors.affiliation: Community A, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naytowhow
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hagel
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McMullin
authors.affiliation: Department of Academic Family Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, West Winds Primary Health Centre, 3311 Fairlight Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7M 3Y5.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramsden
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abonyi
authors.affiliation: Indigenous Peoples' Health Research Centre, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2.
authors.forename: Jo-Ann
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Episkenew
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4; Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 0W8.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dosman
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4; Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5E5.
authors.forename: Punam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pahwa
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: The First Nations Lung Health
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Project Research Team
authors.affiliation: Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, 104 Clinic Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 2Z4.
authors.forename: The Saskatchewan Rural Health
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Study Team