Summary
This is the inaugural Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) national report on the ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adults.
Indigenous Australians experience excessive rates of ear and hearing problems which can have profound impacts on overall health and quality of life. These problems may limit opportunities for education, work, personal relationships and wider community engagement. Problems affecting children can have ongoing impacts, affecting speech, language, cognitive and behavioural development. Importantly, ear and hearing problems affect the passing of Indigenous cultural knowledge and immersion in culture. Much ear disease and hearing loss affecting Indigenous Australians, particularly children and younger adults, is preventable.
This report brings together information on the prevalence of ear and hearing problems among Indigenous Australians along with insights on key protective and risk factors. It presents information on accessibility and use of ear and hearing health-care services by Indigenous Australians, from screening to treatment to rehabilitation and includes on-the-ground experiences of Indigenous specific primary health-care service providers. The report identifies key data gaps and potential areas for data development.
Summary
- Prevalence
- Protective and risk factors
- Screening and diagnosis
- Treatment and rehabilitation
- Workforce
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
1. Introduction
- Main ear and hearing conditions
- Factors influencing ear and hearing health
- The ear and hearing health system
- Ear and hearing health services
- Ear and hearing health policy context, services and programs
- The focus of this report
- Impact of COVID-19
2. Prevalence
- Burden of disease from ear and hearing-related disorders
- Measured hearing loss
- Measured hearing loss in one or both ears
- Severity of measured hearing loss
- Hearing loss, education and employment
- Reported long-term ear or hearing problems
- Comparing measured and reported hearing loss
3. Protective and risk factors
- Public awareness
- Determinants of ear and hearing health over the life span
- Pregnancy, birth and childhood
- Adults and all ages
- Access to health care
4. Screening and diagnosis
- Neonatal hearing screening and diagnosis
- Participation in neonatal hearing screening
- Referral for audiological assessment
- Diagnosis
- Indigenous-specific health checks
- Audiology services
- Emergency department presentations
5. Treatment and rehabilitation
- Hospital admissions
- Hospitalisations for diseases of the ear and mastoid process
- Hospitalisations for injuries to the ear
- Hospitalisations for ear or hearing-related procedures
- Waiting times
- Hearing aids and cochlear implants
- Hearing Australia clients fitted with hearing devices
- Age of first fitting
- National Disability Insurance Scheme
6. Workforce
- Audiologists
- Ear, nose and throat specialists
- Ear and hearing health specialist services in Indigenous-specific primary health-care organisations
7. Ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- Reporting on the ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- Prevalence
- Measured hearing loss
- Reported ear or hearing problems
- Comparing measured and reported hearing loss
- Information on prevalence from hearing health programs
- Ear and hearing health checks
- Indigenous-specific health checks
- Hearing Assessment Program – Early Ears
- Emergency department presentations
- Hospital admissions
- Hospitalisations for diseases of the ear and mastoid process
- Middle ear-related procedures
- Adenoidectomy procedures
- Hearing aids and cochlear implants
- Hearing Australia clients fitted with hearing devices
- Age of first fitting
8. Data gaps and development opportunities
- Prevalence of ear disease and hearing loss
- Primary care
- Neonatal hearing screening
- Ear and hearing health workforce
- Outcome measures
- Indigenous identification
- Hearing loss among Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system
Appendix A: Data sources
Appendix B: Consultation with the ACCHO sector
Appendix C: Programs
- Tools and resources
- Other activities funded by the Australian Government Department of Health supporting ear health
- Ear and hearing health guidance: polices, reports and inquiries
Appendix D: Indigenous-specific health check
End matter: Acknowledgments, Abbreviations, Symbols, Glossary, References, List of tables, List of figures, Related publications