Hearing for Learning Initiative - a Health Facilitator Model for Otitis Media
HfLI
The Hearing for Learning Initiative - a Service-enhancement Model of Ear Health Facilitators to Address the Crisis in Ear and Hearing Health of Aboriginal Children in the Northern Territory: a Stepped-wedge Cluster Randomised Trial
3 other identifiers
interventional
18
1 country
20
Brief Summary
The Hearing for Learning Initiative is a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial. The HfLI will implement and rigorously evaluate an innovative community-based service-enhancement model of ear and hearing health, in partnership with participating communities and health and education services. This initiative will address the following research question: In urban, rural and remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, does employment, training and integration of local Ear and Hearing Clinical and Education Support Officers into health and education services (the Hearing for Learning initiative), compared to current practice, increase the proportion of children who receive an ear assessment, reduce the prevalence of ear and hearing problems and improve education outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, during a four year trial period?
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for not_applicable
Started Feb 2019
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
20 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
February 3, 2019
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
April 12, 2019
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
April 16, 2019
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
June 30, 2024
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 31, 2024
CompletedMay 21, 2025
May 1, 2025
5.4 years
April 12, 2019
May 18, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Ear assessment
Proportion of children who have had a documented ear assessment
6-monthly
Secondary Outcomes (4)
Prevalence of otitis media
6-monthly
Management plan
6-monthly
Appropriate management plan
6-monthly
Follow-up
6-monthly
Other Outcomes (1)
Prevalence of hearing loss among school age children
6-monthly
Study Arms (2)
Facilitator
ACTIVE COMPARATOR120 hours training for local community members delivered on-country face-to-face during 6 4-day weeks and over a 3-6 month period. Certificate II modules in Aboriginal Primary Health Care, ear and hearing health skills development (otoscopy, tympanometry, and hearScreen) and employment as Ear Health Facilitators to the end of the trial.
Control
NO INTERVENTIONNo Facilitator. Brief 6-monthly 2 to 3 hour in-service training via zoom for health professionals.
Interventions
Training and employment of community members to assist the diagnosis and management of otitis media
Eligibility Criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (20)
Ali Curung
Ali Curung, Northern Territory, Australia
Ampilatwatja
Ampilatwatja, Northern Territory, Australia
Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory, 0800, Australia
Galiwin'ku
Galiwin'ku, Northern Territory, Australia
Gunbalanya
Gunbalanya, Northern Territory, Australia
Kalkarindji Primary Health Centre
Kalkarindji, Northern Territory, 0852, Australia
Wurli Wurlinjang Health Service
Katherine, Northern Territory, 0850, Australia
Lajamanu Primary Health Centre
Lajamanu, Northern Territory, Australia
Mala'la Health Service
Maningrida, Northern Territory, 0820, Australia
Milikapiti Community Health Centre
Milikapiti, Northern Territory, Australia
Milingimbi Health Clinic
Milingimbi, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Minjilang Community Health Centre
Minjilang, Northern Territory, Australia
Nauiyu
Nauiyu, Northern Territory, Australia
Palumpa Community Health Centre
Palumpa, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Pirlangimpi Health Clinic
Pirlangimpi, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Ti Tree Community Health Centre
Ti Tree, Northern Territory, 0872, Australia
Wadeye Community Health Centre
Wadeye, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Warruwi Community Health Centre
Warruwi, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Julanimawu (Nguiu) Community Health centre
Wurrumiyanga, Northern Territory, 0822, Australia
Yirrkala Clinic
Yirrkala, Northern Territory, 0880, Australia
Related Publications (1)
Kong K, Cass A, Leach AJ, Morris PS, Kimber A, Su JY, Oguoma VM. A community-based service enhancement model of training and employing Ear Health Facilitators to address the crisis in ear and hearing health of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory, the Hearing for Learning Initiative (the HfLI): study protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial. Trials. 2021 Jun 16;22(1):403. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05215-7.
PMID: 34134736DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Amanda Leach, PhD
Menzies School of Health Research
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Kelvin Kong, MBBS
Newcastle University
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Peter S Morris, MBBS, PhD
Menzies School of Health Research
- STUDY DIRECTOR
Alan Cass, MBBS, PhD
Menzies School of Health Research
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Masking Details
- Data analyst will be blinded to the cluster allocation.
- Purpose
- HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
April 12, 2019
First Posted
April 16, 2019
Study Start
February 3, 2019
Primary Completion
June 30, 2024
Study Completion
December 31, 2024
Last Updated
May 21, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-05
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share