News « Ear health (EarInfoNet) « Other health conditions « Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

New plan uses iPads to help country kids with sensory loss

18 May 2012

Children with a vision and/or hearing impairment in regional and remote areas will have greater access to services thanks to a new video conferencing program launched yesterday.

Budget 2012-13: implications for Indigenous ear health

11 May 2012

Budget 2012-13 provides for programs relevant to Indigenous ear health including ongoing commitment to: The Integrated hearing health program which will continue to provide audiology and specialist services to prevent ear disease; diagnose children in their communities; manage disease and refer children for treatment where this is required.

'Smart' ear fix trial to begin at Fremantle Hospital

9 May 2012

In an Australian first, surgeons at Fremantle Hospital and the University of Western Australia (UWA) have begun trials on a new method of repairing perforated ear drums that they believe could be a major advance in ear health.

Concern over offenders being held under custodial supervision orders in the NT

4 May 2012

A recent Radio National story from the Law Report program, investigated the criminal justice situation in the Northern Territory (NT), which has seen prisoners forced to share overcrowded cells and scarce facilities. In NT prisons, more than 80% of the prison population are Aboriginal Australians.

Widespread ear health issues among Aboriginal children

4 May 2012

The CEO of the Telethon Speech and Hearing Centre (TSH), Paul Higginbotham, says the high rates of middle ear disease in Aboriginal children have reached crisis point.

Significant funding commitment to NT Indigenous communities

30 March 2012

The Federal Government yesterday announced that it would make a long-term funding commitment to services for Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory (NT).

Rural Health Education Foundation resources focus on eyes and ears

29 March 2012

Three recent Rural Health Education Foundation programs with a focus on eye and ear health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are now available on DVD to order for free.

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has partnered with OMOZ for the Australian Otitis Media Conference

28 March 2012

To address the transfer of research into health service practice, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has partnered with OMOZ for the Australian Otitis Media Conference.

Indigenous inmates in the Northern Territory suffer hearing loss

21 March 2012

As many as 9 out of ten Aboriginal inmates in Northern Territory (NT) jails suffer significant hearing loss, according to recent research to be published in the Indigenous Law Bulletin.

HealthInfoNet workshops: helping to 'close the gap' in Indigenous health

20 March 2012

To increase access to its web resource and build the capacity of the frontline health workforce - and to assist the health workforce in 'closing the gap' in Indigenous health - the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet will deliver a program of free workshops across Western Australia (WA) over 18 months from April 2012.

Contribute to the new Aboriginal ear health manual

15 March 2012

Authors of the Aboriginal ear health manual would appreciate any feedback on how the manual can be improved.

'Pina pulka (big ear)' launched to promote Indigenous ear health in the Goldfields

8 March 2012

The Pina pulka (big ear), an inflatable, walk through model of the human ear, was launched 21 February at Kingsbury Park as part of a health promotion project for Aboriginal children in the Goldfields.

National campaign targeting Indigenous ear disease promoted in Taree

22 February 2012

The Care for kids' ears campaign was recently promoted at the Indigenous radio station, Ngarralinyi 2TLP 103.3FM, in the city of Taree, New South Wales, and is set to try to reduce the incidence and impact of ear disease in the Manning Valley Aboriginal community.

New kits rolled out to tackle ear disease

7 February 2012

New resource kits to tackle ear disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids have been launched by the Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon.

NBN delivers hearing and vision services to the bush

3 February 2012

The Government today launched the Remote hearing and vision services for children initiative, to be delivered through the the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Brisbane Indigenous Media Association Projects releases otitis media podcasts for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

9 January 2012

As part of the National Indigenous ear health campaign, Brisbane Indigenous Media Association Projects (BIMA Projects) has released a series of short podcasts about otitis media (ear disease) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

New otitis media guidelines now available online

22 December 2011

In Australia, otitis media (middle ear disease) is a major public health issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Blackburn fellowships celebrate women in research

1 December 2011

A new fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) awards top female research fellows and was initiated in recognition of the outstanding achievements of Australian Nobel Laureate Professor Elizabeth Blackburn, who was a pioneer in science.

Latest Aboriginal ear health program guidelines for NSW

23 November 2011

The New South Wales (NSW) Government, Ministry of Health, released the latest NSW Aboriginal ear health program guidelines on 8 November 2011, for use by Local Health Districts in NSW.

Hearing loss hits Northern Territory's children

10 November 2011

A new report released on 10 November 2011 by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, has found more than 1600 Indigenous children at risk from ear disease and hearing loss have waited an average of more than two years for specialist care in the Northern Territory (NT).

Hearing trial offers new hope

7 November 2011

On the Tiwi Islands, researchers from the Menzies School of Health Research are trialling a combination of two vaccines already in use in the NT.

Hearing help for Palm Island kids

21 October 2011

A state-wide health program to improve hearing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is finally making its way to Palm Island.

$39.8 million in health and medical research to help close the gap

19 October 2011

The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, and the Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, today announced 53 National Health and Medical Research Council grants focusing on Indigenous health.

Poor hearing a reason for national shame

7 October 2011

While delivering the recent Lionel Murphy lecture, Attorney-General Robert McClelland described the over-representation of Aboriginal people in Australia's criminal justice system as a 'national shame'.

Portable hearing aids tested in NT

20 September 2011

A trial is underway in Darwin which uses a new approach to dealing with poor hearing in the Indigenous population.

New website: Care for kids' ears: strong hearing strong start

1 August 2011

The new Care for kids' ears: strong hearing strong start website was launched in July by the Australian Government, to increase awareness of ear disease and hearing loss in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Business award nominee 'The Artery' supports Indigenous charities

26 July 2011

Aboriginal art gallery 'The Artery', which is nominated in this year's City of Sydney Business Awards, has passed on almost $2.5 million in artwork sales to Aboriginal artists and their communities since opening in 2005.

High rate of hearing loss among Indigenous inmates

20 July 2011

The outcomes of a recent study of Indigenous prisoners in Darwin and Alice Springs are discussed with the co-author, Dr Damien Howard.

RAHC launches new ear health online training module

20 July 2011

The Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) have launched a new ear health module to add to their online clinical training program, the RAHC introduction to remote health practice program (online).

Australia's first waterproof hearing aid lets water-obsessed Australians hear the sounds they love

13 July 2011

Australian Hearing has unveiled the Siemens Aquaris first fully waterproof hearing aid.

$9.6M campaign to tackle Indigenous hearing health

4 July 2011

The Minister for Indigenous health, Warren Snowdon, has launched a new $9.6 million national campaign to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ear and hearing health.

Sam is deadly serious about being heard

15 June 2011

Maroons football hero Sam Thaiday launched the My trip to hospital DVD last month, produced as part of Queensland Health's Deadly ears program, to help calm the fears of Indigenous children about having ear surgery.

Response to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee report: Hear Us: Inquiry into hearing health in Australia

1 June 2011

The Australian Government has responded to the 2010 Senate Inquiry report, Hear us: Inquiry into hearing health in Australia.

2011 MJA/Pfizer Australia Award

27 May 2011

The Medical Journal of Australia/Pfizer Australia award for the best original research published in the MJA was today awarded to a research paper that compared the effectiveness of two antibiotic regimens for the treatment of acute middle ear infection in Aboriginal children.

News