Diagnostic audiology services
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Introduction Overview Age and sex Remoteness State and territory Over time-
8,306 First Nations people received Medicare-subsidised audiology services in 2023–24.
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Audiology service rates were higher among First Nations children aged 0–14, at 16.2 per 1,000 population, than among those in other groups.
Audiology services are needed to diagnose, treat and manage a range of ear and hearing conditions. Audiologists are qualified and trained to conduct these services. Medical practitioners may also conduct diagnostic audiology tests.
About the data
This section looks at the number of First Nations people receiving Medicare-subsidised audiology services conducted by an audiologist or medical practitioner.
The information comes from Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) data. The MBS is a list of health services covered by a Medicare rebate. MBS items 82300 to 82332 refer to diagnostic audiology testing and procedures. There is no specific diagnostic audiology service solely for First Nations patients.
Whether patients are First Nations people or non-Indigenous Australians is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to reflect the size of the First Nations population.
Overview
In 2023–24, there were 8,306 First Nations people (8.1 per 1,000 population) who received Medicare-subsidised audiology services. After adjusting for differences in the age structure of the populations, the rate of First Nations people who received at least one audiology service in 2023–24 was 6.8 per 1,000 population, lower than the rate of 9.4 per 1,000 for non-Indigenous Australians.
Age and sex
The rate of audiology service use among First Nations people was highest for children aged 0–14 (16.2 per 1,000 population) and lowest for those aged 15–49 (3.7 per 1,000 population).
Rates of audiology service use were higher among non-Indigenous Australians than First Nations people across age groups, most markedly among those aged 0–14 but also for those aged 65+ (Figure SCREENING 7).
Figure SCREENING 7: People receiving MBS audiology services, by age and Indigenous status, 2023–24
Column chart shows lower rate of Medicare audiology service use among First Nations children and older adults than among non-Indigenous Australians.
| Age | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | 16.2 | 22.3 |
| 15–49 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| 50 and over | 5.7 | 10.1 |
| Age | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | 5,338 | 99,686 |
| 15–49 | 1,880 | 46,934 |
| 50 and over | 1,088 | 93,065 |
- MBS audiology services include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items: 10952, 11300, 11303, 11304, 11306, 11309, 11312, 11315, 11318, 11324, 11327, 11330, 11332, 11333, 11336, 11339, 81310, 82300, 82306, 82309, 82312, 82315, 82318, 82324, 82327 and 82332.
- First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. This information is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect the size of the First Nations population.
- Patients: the number of unique patients who received an MBS audiology service in the financial year. Data is a count of the number of patients, and is not a count of the number of services claimed.
- Patients may have received more than one MBS audiology service in the same financial year. Patients who received more than one MBS audiology service in the financial year are only counted once.
- Patient counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings and geographical classifications.
- Data are reported by date of service. Only MBS items processed on or before 30 June 2024 have been analysed.
- The foundational edition of this report, published in June 2022 included data on MBS audiology services for age groups 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14. Data was not published for 5-year age groups in this report as further analysis is required on the VII scale up methodology for presentation of data for 5-year age groups.
- To calculate rates for the First Nations population, projections (medium series) based on the 2021 Census have been used (ABS 2011-to-2031). Rates for non-Indigenous Australians are calculated using total population estimates based on the 2021 Census (ABS 2022) and subtracting the projections for First Nations people.
Note: that the rates of service use may be affected by the type of government services available for particular age-groups and the source of funding available to audiologists.
Source:
AIHW analysis of MBS data; populations based on ABS data.
Remoteness
The rate of audiology service use among First Nations people was markedly lower in Outer regional areas (4.7 per 1,000 population) than in other remoteness areas. It was less than that of Major cities (8.9 per 1,000 population), Inner regional areas (9.3 per 1,000 population) and Remote areas (8.4 per 1,000 population) (Figure SCREENING 8).
Figure SCREENING 8: First Nations people receiving MBS audiology services, by remoteness, 2023–24
Column chart shows Medicare audiology service use among First Nations people ranged from 4 per 1,000 in Outer regional to 9 per 1,000 in Remote areas.
| Remoteness area | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Major cities | 8.9 |
| Inner regional | 9.3 |
| Outer regional | 4.7 |
| Remote | 8.4 |
| Very remote | 7.8 |
| Remoteness area | Number |
|---|---|
| Major cities | 3,776 |
| Inner regional | 2,379 |
| Outer regional | 923 |
| Remote | 502 |
| Very remote | 725 |
- MBS audiology services include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items: 10952, 11300, 11303, 11304, 11306, 11309, 11312, 11315, 11318, 11324, 11327, 11330, 11332, 11333, 11336, 11339, 81310, 82300, 82306, 82309, 82312, 82315, 82318, 82324, 82327 and 82332.
- First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. This information is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect the size of the First Nations population.
- Patients: the number of unique patients who received an MBS audiology service in the financial year. Data is a count of the number of patients, and is not a count of the number of services claimed.
- Patients may have received more than one MBS audiology service in the same financial year. Patients who received more than one MBS audiology service in the financial year are only counted once.
- Patient counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings and geographical classifications.
- Data are reported by date of service. Only MBS items processed on or before 30 June 2024 have been analysed.
- The foundational edition of this report, published in June 2022 included data on MBS audiology services for age groups 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14. Data was not published for 5-year age groups in this report as further analysis is required on the VII scale up methodology for presentation of data for 5-year age groups.
- To calculate rates for the First Nations population, projections (medium series) based on the 2021 Census have been used (ABS 2011-to-2031). Rates for non-Indigenous Australians are calculated using total population estimates based on the 2021 Census (ABS 2022) and subtracting the projections for First Nations people.
Source:
AIHW analysis of MBS data; populations based on ABS data.
State and territory
In 2023–24, age-standardised audiology service rates among First Nations people ranged from 2.9 per 1,000 population (448 people) in Western Australia to 16.8 per 1,000 population (163 people) in the Australian Capital Territory (Figure SCREENING 9).
Figure SCREENING 9: People receiving MBS audiology services, by indigenous status and state/territory, 2023–24
Column chart shows Medicare audiology service use among First Nations people ranged from 2.3 per 1,000 in WA to 11 per 1,000 in ACT.
| State/Territory | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 5.9 | 9.1 |
| Vic. | 10.4 | 12 |
| Qld | 9.4 | 7.6 |
| WA | 2.9 | 8.3 |
| SA | 4.8 | 9.9 |
| Tas. | 4.9 | 5.5 |
| ACT | 16.8 | 6.2 |
| NT | 5 | 5.4 |
| State/Territory | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 2,512 | 74,063 |
| Vic | 1,114 | 78,493 |
| Qld | 3,133 | 39,904 |
| WA | 448 | 22,452 |
| SA | 311 | 17,921 |
| Tas | 170 | 3,128 |
| ACT | 163 | 2,790 |
| NT | 454 | 935 |
- MBS audiology services include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items: 10952, 11300, 11303, 11304, 11306, 11309, 11312, 11315, 11318, 11324, 11327, 11330, 11332, 11333, 11336, 11339, 81310, 82300, 82306, 82309, 82312, 82315, 82318, 82324, 82327 and 82332.
- First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. This information is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect the size of the First Nations population.
- Patients: the number of unique patients who received an MBS audiology service in the financial year. Data is a count of the number of patients, and is not a count of the number of services claimed.
- Patients may have received more than one MBS audiology service in the same financial year. Patients who received more than one MBS audiology service in the financial year are only counted once.
- Patient counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings and geographical classifications.
- Data are reported by date of service. Only MBS items processed on or before 30 June 2024 have been analysed.
- The foundational edition of this report, published in June 2022 included data on MBS audiology services for age groups 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14. Data was not published for 5-year age groups in this report as further analysis is required on the VII scale up methodology for presentation of data for 5-year age groups.
- To calculate rates for the First Nations population, projections (medium series) based on the 2021 Census have been used (ABS 2011-to-2031). Rates for non-Indigenous Australians are calculated using total population estimates based on the 2021 Census (ABS 2022) and subtracting the projections for First Nations people.
ASR = age-standardised rate
The disparity of MBS audiology service use for First Nations people and non-Indigenous people is greatest in the ACT and may be impacted by small numbers of First Nations population. Furthermore, the ACT is a highly urbanised area, which may impact access to audiology services. In Western Australia, First Nations people receive less MBS audiology services than non-Indigenous people, which may be affected by the high number of outer regional areas.
Over time
Similar to the trends in uptake of health checks, marked declines in audiology service rates for First Nations people occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic era, when people’s movements and activities were restricted to prevent the spread of disease (AIHW 2021).
Audiology service use among First Nations people remained steady from 9.0 per 1,000 (age standardised) in 2014–15 to 8.5 per 1,000 in 2018–19 before declining during the COVID-19 pandemic to 6.2 per 1,000 population in 2021–22. The rate rose slightly after the pandemic to 6.8 per 1,000 population in 2023–24 (Figure SCREENING 10).
In comparison, for non-Indigenous Australians, there was a similar decline in the rate of audiology service use during the pandemic reaching a low at 7.7 per 1,000 population in 2021–22 but the rate rose more sharply afterwards, to 9.4 per 1,000 population in 2023–24.
Figure SCREENING 10: People receiving MBS audiology services, by Indigenous status, 2014–15 to 2023–24
Line chart shows Medicare audiology service use among First Nations people increased slightly in 2022–23 after declining markedly during the pandemic.
| Year | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 9 | 9.9 |
| 2015–16 | 8.8 | 10.2 |
| 2016–17 | 7.8 | 10 |
| 2017–18 | 8.5 | 10 |
| 2018–19 | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| 2019–20 | 7.6 | 8.8 |
| 2020–21 | 7.6 | 8.5 |
| 2021–22 | 6.2 | 7.7 |
| 2022–23 | 6.5 | 8.5 |
| 2023–24 | 6.8 | 9.4 |
| Year | First Nations | Non-Indigenous |
|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 9,114 | 228,141 |
| 2015–16 | 8,931 | 237,705 |
| 2016–17 | 8,248 | 238,529 |
| 2017–18 | 9,269 | 240,556 |
| 2018–19 | 9,293 | 240,081 |
| 2019–20 | 8,433 | 218,530 |
| 2020–21 | 8,578 | 211,132 |
| 2021–22 | 7,202 | 192,954 |
| 2022–23 | 7,772 | 214,036 |
| 2023–24 | 8,306 | 239,685 |
- MBS audiology services include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items: 10952, 11300, 11303, 11304, 11306, 11309, 11312, 11315, 11318, 11324, 11327, 11330, 11332, 11333, 11336, 11339, 81310, 82300, 82306, 82309, 82312, 82315, 82318, 82324, 82327 and 82332.
- First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. This information is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health and Aged Care to reflect the size of the First Nations population.
- Patients: the number of unique patients who received an MBS audiology service in the financial year. Data is a count of the number of patients, and is not a count of the number of services claimed.
- Patients may have received more than one MBS audiology service in the same financial year. Patients who received more than one MBS audiology service in the financial year are only counted once.
- Counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings and geographical classifications. 6. Data are reported by date of service. Only MBS items processed on or before 30 June 2024 have been analysed.
- To calculate rates for the First Nations population, projections (medium series) based on the 2021 Census have been used (ABS 2011-to-2031). Rates for non-Indigenous Australians are calculated using total population estimates based on the 2021 Census (ABS 2022) and subtracting the projections for First Nations people.
ASR = age-standardised rate
Source:
AIHW analysis of MBS data; populations based on ABS data.
The gap between First Nations and non-Indigenous children receiving audiology services has widened in most recent years.
Audiology service use among First Nations children aged 0–14 has remained stronger than other age groups over time. It fell from a peak of around 18.6 per 1,000 population (5,787 people) before the pandemic to 13.8 per 1,000 (4,502 people) in 2021–22, then increased sharply to 16.2 per 1,000 (5,338 people) in 2023–24 (Figure SCREENING 11).
In contrast, audiology service use rates among First Nations people aged 15–49 and 50 and over has remained relatively stable and has shown more modest increases after the lows in the pandemic.
Figure SCREENING 11: First Nations people receiving MBS audiology services, by age, 2014–15 to 2023–24
Line chart shows Medicare audiology service use for First Nations people 0–14 rose in 2022–23 after pandemic-era falls but was flat among older people.
| Year | 0–14 | 15–49 | 50 and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 18.6 | 4.9 | 9.3 |
| 2015–16 | 18.1 | 4.4 | 9.3 |
| 2016–17 | 17.1 | 3.7 | 8.3 |
| 2017–18 | 18.6 | 4.5 | 8.5 |
| 2018–19 | 18.2 | 4.5 | 8.6 |
| 2019–20 | 16.3 | 3.9 | 7.9 |
| 2020–21 | 16.5 | 4.1 | 7.2 |
| 2021–22 | 13.8 | 3.4 | 5.7 |
| 2022–23 | 15.6 | 3.4 | 5.3 |
| 2023–24 | 16.2 | 3.7 | 5.7 |
| Year | 0–14 | 15–49 | 50 and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 5,787 | 2,100 | 1,227 |
| 2015–16 | 5,709 | 1,936 | 1,286 |
| 2016–17 | 5,423 | 1,639 | 1,186 |
| 2017–18 | 5,958 | 2,037 | 1,274 |
| 2018–19 | 5,887 | 2,057 | 1,348 |
| 2019–20 | 5,304 | 1,847 | 1,282 |
| 2020–21 | 5,378 | 1,969 | 1,231 |
| 2021–22 | 4,502 | 1,685 | 1,015 |
| 2022–23 | 5,107 | 1,689 | 975 |
| 2023–24 | 5,338 | 1,880 | 1,088 |
- MBS audiology services include Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items: 10952, 11300, 11303, 11304, 11306, 11309, 11312, 11315, 11318, 11324, 11327, 11330, 11332, 11333, 11336, 11339, 81310, 82300, 82306, 82309, 82312, 82315, 82318, 82324, 82327 and 82332.
- First Nations people can voluntarily identify as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to Medicare, Services Australia. This information is recorded on the Medicare database through the Voluntary Indigenous Identifier. Not all First Nations people choose to identify themselves in this way, so MBS data on audiology services have been adjusted to reflect the size of the First Nations population. Data have been adjusted using a scale-up methodology developed by AIHW in consultation with the Department of Health and Aged Care. The foundational 2022 edition of this report used a different set of scale-up factors. Data are not directly comparable to those presented in the foundational report due to the scale-up factors used and changes in voluntary identification over time.
- Patients: the number of unique patients who received an MBS audiology service in the financial year. Data is a count of the number of patients, and is not a count of the number of services claimed.
- Patients may have received more than one MBS audiology service in the same financial year. Patients who received more than one MBS audiology service in the financial year are only counted once.
- Counts have been adjusted to avoid double counting patients across age groupings and geographical classifications. 6. Data are reported by date of service. Only MBS items processed on or before 30 June 2024 have been analysed.
- The foundational edition of this report, published in June 2022 included data on MBS audiology services for age groups 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14. Data was not published for 5-year age groups in this report as further analysis is required on the VII scale up methodology for presentation of data for 5-year age groups.
- To calculate rates for the First Nations population, projections (medium series) based on the 2021 Census have been used (ABS 2011-to-2031). Rates for non-Indigenous Australians are calculated using total population estimates based on the 2021 Census (ABS 2022) and subtracting the projections for First Nations people.
Source:
AIHW analysis of MBS data; populations based on ABS data.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2021. Tracking progress against the Implementation Plan goals for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–2023, AIHW, Australian Government. Viewed 28 September 2024.