An ear health program operating in some of Australia's most remote communities is helping to close the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians.
Up to nine in 10 Aboriginal children in remote areas experience middle ear disease, according to Ear Science Institute Australia, which left untreated can cause hearing loss and have a profound effect on language development, education and employment.
Ear Science Institute Australia recently formed a partnership with Mineral Resources (MinRes) to increase resourcing to the Lions Healthy Hearing Outback program for the Nyiyaparli and Martu people in the East Pilbara region.
Under the partnership Ear Science Institute Australia is able to deliver an integrated service model combining telehealth with an Ear Health Coordinator providing on-the-ground logistical support to patients that need treatment.
Audiologist Lucy Mitchell took on the role of Ear Health Coordinator in March and will travel to Newman, Jigalong, Punmu, Parnngurr and Kunawarritji to tackle what she described as "a massive social justice issue".
"Aboriginal children will experience ear disease earlier, sometimes from two weeks old, they'll experience it more severely and more frequently than non-Aboriginal children. This will have long lasting impacts throughout someone's life because if you can't hear, you can't learn," she said.
"Even with mild hearing loss it can be very difficult to hear the teacher in a classroom or to communicate with family at home. Overcrowding in housing, hygiene and nutrition are all factors that can contribute to poor ear health."
The program is run by Ear Science, Rural Health West and the Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS), with MinRes' $600,000 commitment over three years bolstering service delivery.
A relatively simple procedure performed by ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr Anton Hinton-Bayre, such as inserting a grommet to drain fluid in the middle ear, can be a crucial step towards avoiding lifelong problems.
Ms Mitchell noted the importance of making sure "families are supported, especially through the surgery pathways".
"These communities are very remote and it can be hard for families having to travel away from Country to have surgery. In my role as Ear Health Coordinator, I work in partnership with PAMS to support families navigating their way through a complex healthcare system," she said.
Nurses and Aboriginal health workers in the communities will be trained to use a video otoscope that captures photographs and video inside a patient's ear, with the examinations facilitated by an ENT specialist 1600km away in Perth.
MinRes managing director Chris Ellison said the company is proud to partner with Ear Science to "help expand this life-changing ear health service in some of Western Australia's most remote communities".
"Far too many Aboriginal children experience ear disease and hearing loss, and Ear Science Institute Australia are at the forefront of reducing that devasting burden," he said.
Ear Science Institute Australia chief executive Sandra Bellekom said that with the support of partners such as MinRes, Ear Science wants to "change the trajectory of the lives of Indigenous children, empower them to graduate high school, develop a career and grow to become the leaders of tomorrow".
