This group of researchers analysed cases from the New Zealand Deafness Notification Database (New Zealand’s annual reporting system on hearing-impaired children from birth to 19 years of age, covering the periods 1982–2005 and 2009–2013) and children implanted by the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme (the public provider for cochlear implants for all children and young people living in areas north of Taupo), to determine whether young Māori have more permanent bilateral hearing loss, or less severe and profound hearing loss than NZ Europeans. In Chi-squared analyses, Māori are less likely to be severely or profoundly hearing impaired and are more likely to have mild-moderate hearing loss and significantly more bilateral losses as compared with their NZ European peers. Young Māori are more likely to be diagnosed with permanent hearing loss greater than 26 dB HL, averaged across speech frequencies, with 39–43% of hearing loss notifications listed as Māori. Cochlear implant data show that Māori are less likely to receive a cochlear implant.
