Today is our day. Healthy ears to learn about Country. — Agentur Pty Ltd

Today is our day. Healthy ears to learn about Country. (199)

Brigita Bezjak 1 , Jeannie Campbell Pengert 1
  1. NT Health, Alice Springs, NT, Australia

Background:

The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies that an incidence of chronic suppurative otitis media (OM) is a major cause of acquired hearing impairment in children. Rates above 4% are a public health problem requiring urgent attention. Australian Aboriginal children are reported to have rates often over 60%. Early onset OM has a negative impact on a child's ability to learn and affects psychosocial development. An Aboriginal child's ability to learn essential oral traditions for their cultural identity is also affected. Linking this culturally significant concept to early intervention with 0 to 3 year olds and their community, is a step towards health equity.

Methods:

* Consult with the community: identify strengths, motivators, knowledge of ear health, speech and language.

* Identify barriers, risk factors, complications and sequelae of OM.

* Complete a literature review of the incidence, prevalence, history of and factors contributing to OM in Australian Aboriginal communities and beyond.

* Complete a literature review of Australian Aboriginal languages, multilingualism, pre-literacy skills, speech and language development.

* Review existing health resources.

* Consult with community on ways to develop a primary health care approach with language that is acceptable, safe and empowering to the target age group of 0 to 3 year olds and the community.

Results/Discussions:

This is a positive step towards improving the ear health and outcomes of Australian Aboriginal children in remote communities.
Two giant sized books allows participants to compare what a non-Aboriginal Speech Pathologist developed in consultation with the Aboriginal Health Practitioner and the second stage book which was developed with the P’mara Jutunta community for whom it is intended.

Conclusions:
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Health Practitioners are an important cross-cultural collaboration to progress health initiatives in OM for Australian Aboriginal children in remote communities.

Community involvement to contextualise these initiatives for meaningful change is essential: this includes viewing bilingualism as positive and using an Aboriginal Language for primary health care.

#equity14