Unveiling the major impact of ear disease on Aboriginal children
Researchers from Telethon Kids Institute have been awarded a $1.1 million NHMRC "Targeted Call for Hearing Health" grant to conduct the first ever study following Aboriginal babies from birth through to five years to uncover the true prevalence of middle ear infections and hearing loss.
This unique opportunity will continue the work of the Djaalinj Waakinj (listening talking) project launched in 2018, where Aboriginal health researchers conducted ear checks on babies to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing an ear and hearing screening program from two months of age.
The first cohort of Aboriginal babies in Australia who have had their ear health observed since birth, the Djaalinj Waakinj children and an additional 200 kids from the Kalgoorlie Pina Karnpi (good ears) group will now be followed through to five years of age to provide an in-depth look at the impact of ear disease in early life.
Lead investigator Associate Professor Chris Brennan-Jones, from the Wesfarmers Center of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at Telethon Kids Institute, Curtin University and Perth Children's Hospital, said that Aboriginal children have some of the highest rates of ear infections or otitis media (OM) in the world and, if left untreated, can lead to permanent hearing loss and major long-term issues.
"Through Djaalinj Waakinj, we observed how many children were developing ear disease, as well as how early/often they should be checked for early signs and, instead of waiting two years on a public hospital waitlist, collaborations with local Aboriginal health organizations and Ear, Nose and Throat specialists allowed fast-tracked access to urgent treatment like grommet surgery," said A/Prof Brennan-Jones.
"We discovered that Aboriginal babies show first signs of ear disease at just eight weeks of age and, by their first birthday, 69 percent were experiencing significant hearing loss—the average hearing of children in the study was at a level where it would be difficult for them to hear voices clearly.
"If you can't hear, you can't learn—leading to potential life-long consequences surrounding speech, education, behavior, social relationships, employment and other future endeavors.
"These findings pin-pointed the vital urgency for early diagnosis and treatment of OM and have informed national policy and service delivery to ensure preventable hearing loss is addressed in the crucial developmental years ahead of starting school.
"Regular check-ups with these children over five years will expand our knowledge exponentially—providing the very first prevalence estimates for OM and hearing loss throughout this age bracket and answering key questions relating to the fluctuations of ear health issues in early life, as well as identifying potential risk and protective factors associated with ear disease," said A/Prof Brennan-Jones.
Mrs. Valerie Swift, a Chief Investigator on this project and Aboriginal Co-Director of the Djaalinj Waakinj Center for Ear and Hearing Health at the Wesfarmers Center of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, is very passionate about this work and the fact that the need for this research was, and continues to be, supported by members of the Aboriginal community.
"The Djaalinj Waakinj project was guided by the Aboriginal Community Advisory Group, and we owe it to them to further this research and identify strategies to inform policy and service delivery changes that will vastly improve the way ear health is managed for Aboriginal children," said Swift.
More information:
Tamara Veselinović et al, High prevalence of hearing loss in urban Aboriginal infants: the Djaalinj Waakinj cohort study, Medical Journal of Australia (2022). DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51534
Provided by Telethon Kids Institute
