Print Close

Publications

Home
- » Other health conditions
  - » Ear health workers
    - » Prevention of ear conditions
      - » Publications

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007

2012

Hill S (2012)

Ear disease in Indigenous Australians: a literature review.

Australian Medical Student Journal; 3(1): 45-49

Huntley P, Woods B, Rudge S (2012)

Healthy Ears, Happy Kids: a new approach to Aboriginal child ear health in NSW.

New South Wales Public Health Bulletin; 23(4): 60-61

Leach A (2012)

Using pneumococcal vaccines (Prevenar13 & Synflorix) in combination for maximum protection from ear infections: Prev-Ix_Combo.

The Chronicle; 23(1): 24-25

Links
View website: Chronic Diseases Network
View website: The Chronicle
Please click on March link and scroll down to page 24

Sanchez L, Carney S, Estermann A, Sparrow K, Turner D (2012)

An evaluation of the benefits of swimming pools for the hearing and ear health status of young Indigenous Australians: a whole-of-population study across multiple remote Indigenous communities.

Adelaide: School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University

This document reports on a study to investigate whether the use of swimming pools by school-age Indigenous children in remote semi-arid communities in central Australia results in the reduction and possible prevention of conductive hearing loss related to otitis media (OM) in these children.

Between 2009 - 2011, multiple clinical assessments of ear health and hearing - including Ear, nose and throat (ENT) diagnoses - were conducted on 813 school age children, which allow comparison of the results for children living in the four Anangu communities with a swimming pool compared to those living in the six communities without a pool. Many children were assessed on multiple occasions with 46% of the children being assessed on at least three of the possible six occasions over the three year study period (2107 child assessments in total).

The study's results demonstrate that access to swimming pools does not result in improvement in any of three principal measured indices of hearing or ear health. Additionally, in relation to the policy of 'no school, no pool', there is no evidence that access to a swimming pool results in improved school attendance. Further, results show previously undescribed seasonal differences in the prevalence of eardrum perforations in these Indigenous populations. Other results show significant associations between dry eardrum perforation and hearing loss and age.

This research report was funded by the Hearing Loss Prevention Program of the Department of Health and Ageing and conducted by Flinders University and its collaborating partner, the Anangu Education Service of the South Australian (SA) Department of Education and Child Development.

Abstract adapted from Flinders University

Simmons K, Rotumah V, Cookson M, Grigg D (2012)

Child hearing health coordinators tackle ear and hearing health in the NT.

The Chronicle; 23(1): 22-23

Links
View publication: Child hearing health coordinators tackle ear and hearing health in the NT (PDF - 1.8 MB)
please scroll down to page 22 for article
View website: Chronic Diseases Network
View website: The Chronicle

2011

Howard D, Fasoli L, McLaren S, Wunungmurra A (2011)

Dangerous listening: the exposure of Indigenous people to excessive noise.

Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker Journal; 35(1): 3-8

Menzies R, Andrews R (2011)

Immunisation issues for Indigenous Australian children.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health; Early view(http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02079.x):

New South Wales Health Promotion Division (2011)

Aboriginal ear health program guidelines.

Sydney: New South Wales Ministry of Health

Sun W, Monck R, Forrest M, Gilchrist B, Stokes A , Mahony A, Douglas C , Jeffries‐Stokes C, Lannigan F, Lehmann D, Bega Garbirringu Health Service , Ngunytju Tjitji Pirni (2011)

Pina palya, pina kulilku (good ears, good learning).

Paper presented at the 11th National Rural Health Conference. 3-16 March 2011, Perth Convention Centre

2010

Darwin Otitis Guidelines Group (2010)

Recommendations for clinical care guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

Darwin: Menzies School of Health Research

The updated Recommendations for clinical care guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations builds on the 2001 guidelines using recent research and an explicit search and critical appraisal of the medical literature between 2001 and 2010. The original guidelines were directly linked to the Systematic review of existing evidence and primary care guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

The guidelines are intended for use by health care professionals who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. This includes Aboriginal health workers, Aboriginal ear health workers, primary care and specialist physicians, nurses, remote nurses and nurse practitioners, audiologists, audiometrists, speech therapists, and child development specialists (including advisory visiting teachers and teachers of the deaf).

The clinical care guidelines are published by Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) and were prepared by the Darwin Otitis Guidelines Group in collaboration with the OATSIH Otitis Media Technical Advisory Group. They are designed to facilitate the delivery of comprehensive, effective and appropriate ear health programs.

The clinical care guidelines are divided into sections: prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, medical management, audiological management of associated hearing loss, practical considerations in health care delivery, and prioritisation of primary health care services in different settings. They aim to offer a series of clear recommendations for the clinical care of Indigenous Australians that are:

based on the best available evidence
acceptable to a multi-disciplinary expert panel experienced in this area
presented in plain language and algorithms.

The sources of information used include:

evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, evidence summaries and systematic reviews
high quality primary research on otitis media and hearing loss.

The following separate resources are also included:

what's new in the 2010 update of the clinical care guidelines - two page flyer
- a brief summary of the new features of the guidelines and the research and review processes that went into the new edition
- an outline of the aim, background, contents and use of the guidelines
practical treatment plans and prioritisation of primary health care services in different settings - four page brochure
- a brief introduction to otitis media (OM) and the sources of information on which the guidelines are based
- a summary of practical treatment plans for the management of childhood otitis media in populations at high risk of chronic otitis media (chronic suppuratives otitis media, CSOM)
- a snap shot of health care service priorities when working with limited resources
clinical care algorithms - eight laminated A4 sized cards
- algorithms graphing diagnosis and management of otitis media and hearing loss to assist with clinical care
pocket guide for the diagnosis and management of ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
- includes photographic and written description of the symptoms, diagnostic and management notes
- can be attached to a key ring or otoscope
key messages for primary health care providers - A3 sized poster
- a 10 point list of actions to remember when working with Indigenous families to treat and prevent otitis media in Indigenous children.

The practical treatment plan, pocket guide and algorithms are colour coded according to the type of otitis media allowing for quick cross referencing between the resources. All separate resources are also included within the bound guideline book.

Abstract adapted from Recommendations for clinical care guidelines on the management of otitis media in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations

Doyle J, Ristevski E (2010)

Less germs, less mucus, less snot: teachers’ and health workers’ perceptions of the benefits and barriers of ear health programs in lower primary school classes.

Australian Journal of Primary Health; 16(4): 352-359

Wunungmurra A, Howard D, Fasoli L (2010)

Listening troubles and little kids.

Paper presented at the SNAICC National Conference. 27-29 July 2010, Alice Springs

2009

Deadly Ears Program (2009)

Deadly ears, deadly kids, deadly communities: 2009-2013: making tracks to close the gap in ear health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Brisbane: Queensland Health

This report is part of the commitment from the Queensland Government to reduce the high levels of ear disease among Indigenous Queensland children and Close the gap in ear health.

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract

Healthcare Planning and Evaluation (2009)

Evaluation of the sustainability and benefits of swimming pools in the Anagu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands (APY lands) in South Australia : final report – de-identified.

Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing

Wylie F (2009)

Feature: closing the gap.

Retrieved 8 October 2009 from http://www.lifescientist.com.au/article/321487/feature_closing_gap?fp=4194304&fpid=1

2008

Coates H, Vijayasekaran S, Mackendrick A, Leidwinger L, et al (2008)

Aboriginal ear health manual.

Perth, WA:

This manual provides information on the anatomy and function of the ear and preventive measures for ear problems. It details causes, types and effects of hearing loss together with common ear conditions. Diagrams and images are used to describe how to examine ears and algorithms for treatment strategies are provided.