Hearing Outreach

Hearing Outreach

Delivering Hearing Care Where It’s Needed Most

The Hearing Outreach team delivers vital ear and hearing care services to communities in need, both nationally and internationally. Their work focuses on improving access to care and addressing hearing health challenges in under served and remote populations.

Current Research Projects

In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the Hearing Outreach team is working to better understand and improve the delivery of ear and hearing care services for Aboriginal communities.

Through collaboration with local health providers, clinicians, and community leaders, the project has built a comprehensive picture of hearing health needs - from access to services and devices, to clinical pathways and early childhood care.

This work has identified both strengths and gaps in service delivery, helping to inform more coordinated, culturally appropriate approaches to care.

This novel app aims to address mental health and hearing loss in Indigenous children.

This work is a collaboration with Monash University, Curtin University, South West Aboriginal Medical Service and Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service. Funding from the WA Health-Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.

As the population ages it is important to understand how the various aspects of physical and mental health interact with each other, to improve our knowledge of management and treatment of disease.

This population study of Baby Boomers focused on changes in hearing over time, and associations with risk factors. In collaboration with Busselton Population Medical Research Institute, and researchers across WA, The Netherlands, and South Africa. Core funding from Ear Science, WA Health-Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.

Our Focus Areas

Community Outreach & Access

Delivering ear and hearing care services to under served and remote communities.

Aboriginal Health & Partnerships

Working with Aboriginal communities to develop culturally appropriate, community-led care.

Early Detection & Intervention

Improving early diagnosis and treatment of hearing conditions, particularly in children.

Service Improvement & Coordination

Identifying gaps in care to support more connected and effective hearing health services.

Lead Researchers

Rob Eikelboom

Research Manager Corporate, Head of Hearing Outreach

Key Publications

Prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity in Australian baby boomers: the Busselton healthy ageing study. BMC Public Health. 21(1):1539; 2021. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11578-y

Hunter ML, Knuiman MW, Musk B, Hui J, Murray K, Beilby JP, Hillman DR, Hung J, Newton RU, Bucks RS, Straker L, Walsh JP, Zhu K, Bruce DG, Eikelboom RH, Davis TME, Mackey DA, James AL.

Tinnitus and its associations with general health, mental health and hearing loss. Prog Brain Res. 262:431-450; 2021. doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.01.023

Stegeman I, Eikelboom RH, Smit AL, Baguley DM, Bucks RS, Stokroos RJ, Bennett RJ, Tegg-Quinn S, Hunter M, Atlas MD.

Associations between cardiovascular disease and its risk factors with hearing loss-A cross-sectional analysis. Clin Otolaryngol. 43(1):172-181; 2018. doi:10.1111/coa.12936

Tan HE, Lan NSR, Knuiman MW, Divitini ML, Swanepoel DW, Hunter M, Brennan-Jones CG, Hung J, Eikelboom RH, Santa Maria PL.

Contact Our Team

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Explore Our Research

Explore our other research focus area in more detail, where our science continues to set best practices with a fully integrated model of clinical and research activities allowing us to translate our knowledge into tangible outcomes for our community and beyond.