Summary

First Nations children have some of the highest rates of ear disease and related hearing loss in the world (WHO 2004). Middle ear infection, or otitis media, is a major cause of ear and hearing problems in First Nations children (Burns and Thomson 2013, Coates et al. 2002).

In young children, ear and hearing problems can lead to delays in speech and language development and hamper cognitive, behavioural and social development, which in turn can affect schooling and educational achievement (Menzies School of Health Research 2023, Su et al. 2020, Wong et al. 2018). Later in life, ear and hearing problems can be a barrier to employment opportunities and can lead to strained relationships and isolation from community and culture.

This report presents data for both First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians for a range of ear and hearing health measures across prevalence, screening and diagnosis, intervention and treatment, rehabilitation and workforce and outreach.

Prevalence

  • An estimated 13% (131,300) of First Nations people reported a long-term ear or hearing problem in 2022–23. The proportion has remained similar over time, ranging from around 12% (in 2004–05 and 2011–13) to 15% (in 2001).
  • Among First Nations children aged 0–14, the estimated proportion reporting an ear or hearing problem decreased from 11.2% in 2001 to 4.9% in 2022–23.
  • Middle ear infection was reported as a long-term ear or hearing problem affecting 2.7% of First Nations children aged 0–14 (8,800 children) in 2022–23.
  • From 2022 to 2024, 12.8% (1,066) of First Nations children 0-14 years eligible for the Queensland Government Deadly Ears Program attending an ENT clinic had an ear condition, whilst 16.3% (1,360) attending an audiology service had hearing loss.

Screening and diagnosis

  • Newborn hearing screening coverage of First Nations babies, using combined data for six jurisdictions (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory), was 96.9% (18,591) in 2023–24.
  • One-quarter (259,941) of the First Nations people completed a health check which involves a hearing component in 2023–24.
  • 8,306 First Nations people (8.1 per 1,000 population) received Medicare-subsidised audiology services in 2023–24. The rate 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).
  • In 2023–24, among First Nations children under 6 who had a hearing test through the Hearing Assessment Program – Early Ears (HAPEE), 21.9% (996) had hearing loss. Of these, 19.3% (877) had mild loss, and 2.6% (119) had moderate, severe or profound hearing loss.

Intervention and treatment

  • There were 23,812 emergency department visits (11.7 per 1,000 population) by First Nations people where the main diagnosis was a disease of the ear or mastoid process in 2022–24. Over half (12,251) of these were for children aged 0–14.
  • In 2022–24, there were 8,424 hospitalisations (4.1 per 1,000 population) for First Nations people where the main diagnosis was a disease of the ear and mastoid process-67.1% (5,651) of these were for children aged 0–14.
  • Ear or hearing related procedures were performed in-hospital for 10,609 First Nations patients (5.2 per 1,000 population) in 2022–24. The most common procedure was myringotomy (61.4% of the procedures).
  • Over 2012–13 to 2023–24 median waiting times increased for Indigenous people across myringotomy surgery (54 to 84 days) and myringoplasty surgery (121 to 234 days).

Rehabilitation

  • Among Hearing Australia clients with hearing devices, 7,947 were First Nations people (7.6 per 1,000 population) on 31 December 2024. Of these 73% (5,803) were aged 50 and over.
  • First Nations Hearing Australia clients increased with remoteness, from 5.5 per 1,000 population in Major cities, to 8.7 per 1,000 in Remote and Very remote areas.
  • The peak ages of first hearing device fitting for First Nations Hearing Australia clients aged 0–25 in 2024 were from 2–6 years, with the proportion fitted at each of these ages ranging from 8% to 11%.
  • In 2025 there were 2,239 First Nations NDIS participants with hearing impairment as a disability with 60.8% of these reporting a hearing impairment as their primary disability.

Workforce

  • In 2023–24, 52.2% of First Nations-specific primary health-care organisations (120 organisations) employed or had a visiting audiologist or audiometrist. This was almost double the proportion in 2013–14 (27.6% or 56 organisations).
  • The principal place of practice among ENTs in 2024 was Major cities 87% (500 FTE) and 79% (450 FTE) reported mainly working in a private practice.
  • The Healthy Ears-Better Hearing, Better Listening program funded by the Australian Government to support professionals provide outreach services delivered 47,286 services from July 2023 to June 2024. Most of these (41,891 or 88.5%) were delivered to First Nations people.

 

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