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Figure 5.4.2 Prevalence of otitis media, 2004-05 a10IndigenousNon-IndigenousPer cent of population864200–4 years 5–9 years 10–14 yearsa Error bars represent 95 per cent confidence intervals around each estimate (see chapter 2 for moreinformation).Source: ABS 2004-05 NATSIHS (unpublished); ABS 2004-05 NHS (unpublished); table 5A.4.5.• In 2004-05, the prevalence of otitis media among Indigenous children aged fiveto nine years was 6.5 per cent (compared with 2.3 per cent for non-Indigenouschildren) (figure 5.4.2).• Across all age groups Indigenous children were two to four times as likely asnon-Indigenous children to suffer from hearing problems (table 5A.4.5).Hospitalisations for ear and hearing problemsThe availability of hospitalisations data for Indigenous people is significantlyreduced in the 2007 Report compared to previous Reports. AIHW analyses into thequality of Indigenous identification of hospital admitted patient statistics has shownthat while the quality is good in some jurisdictions, in other jurisdictions it is poor(AIHW 2005). Consequently, Indigenous hospitalisations data are only available forQueensland, WA, SA and the NT. Data from NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and theACT were considered to be of insufficient quality. Data issues, includinghospitalisations are discussed in chapter 2.EARLY CHILDDEVELOPMENT ANDGROWTH5.31