THE proportion of First Nations children aged 0-14 with an ear or hearing problem has declined from 11% in 2001 to 6.9% in 2018-19.
The first annual report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Ear and hearing health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 2023, was launched by Worimi man and ear, nose and throat surgeon Kelvin Kong.
The report also showed that between 91% and 98% of First Nations babies received hearing checks after birth in Qld, SA, Vic and WA.
The rate of audiology services for First Nations children aged 0-14 also increased from 12 per 1,000 population in 2010-11 to 14 per 1,000 in 2021-22.
"While First Nations people continue to experience elevated rates of ear and hearing problems, their ear and hearing health has steadily improved over the last 10 years due to new initiatives by govt, Aboriginal medical services, non-govt organisations, and specialist groups," said Prof Kong.
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