Fighting Middle ear infections

By NSW Dept of Aboriginal Affairs

More than 7,000 Aboriginal children have been screened for otitis media throughout NSW in a bid to reduce the infection among Aboriginal children, through the NSW Government's Aboriginal Affairs Plan, Two Ways Together.

The initiative to screen Aboriginal children for otitis media, know also as middle ear infection, is part of the State Government's Aboriginal Affairs Plan, Two Ways Together. Under the plan, up to 85% of young Aboriginal children in NSW will get tested for the infection.

This initiative builds on the existing NSW Otitis Media Strategic Plan for Aboriginal Children by focusing strongly on children aged up to 6 years old. It is widely accepted that by targeting assistance and intervention towards younger children, greater benefits can be realised in terms of improving language development, learning ability, educational attainment, related health status, social interaction and so on.

The initiative has an escalating target for the number of children which NSW Health will screen over the four-year term of the initiative.

A series of consultations with the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector, Department of Education, Area Health Services, Otitis Media Coordinators, Hearing Health Workers, Audiologists, ENT Surgeons and other stakeholders were conducted in the six months to December 2004.

NSW Health is increasing the capacity of the health system by developing specialised training courses, recruiting additional Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) to complete training and supplying otoscopes and tympanometers which are used in the detection of otitis media.

NSW Health has also developed specialist outreach clinics at Goulburn, Armidale and Mr Druitt. More locations are currently under consideration.

Another key strategy is to increase the level of awareness of otitis media amongst Aboriginal communities and to increase the rate of participation in screening. The Aboriginal Educational Consultative Group Inc and the Muru Marri Aboriginal Health Unit of the University of NSW have been engaged to deliver a range of community awareness activities throughout Aboriginal communities in NSW.

Aboriginal Otitis Media Coordinators have also been provided with additional funding to encourage local parents/carers to participate in screening of their children.

NSW Health is also working to increase education and awareness amongst General Practitioners (GPs). A consultant Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Surgeon (Dr Beckenham) is addressing the many Divisions of GP across NSW. Dr Beckenham is also assisting with the recruitment of other ENT surgeons who wish to participate in newly developed outreach clinics.