Vocal empowerment: Researching the effect of actor voice training on young adults with cochlear implants and hearing aids. The research offers significant public health outcomes for Australians, in the areas of preventative healthcare, through improving the social integration and quality of life of young adults with a hearing impairment and through improvements in habilitation.
Factors impacting on workplace retention in speech pathology. Retention of speech pathologists within their profession and within the public service is presenting a major problem for the professional association, the public service and service users. In repsonse to this situation our study aims to measure the psychological well being of speech pathologists nationally and to identify workplace dimensions that are hindering or enhancing retention. The results of this study will be of significance ....Factors impacting on workplace retention in speech pathology. Retention of speech pathologists within their profession and within the public service is presenting a major problem for the professional association, the public service and service users. In repsonse to this situation our study aims to measure the psychological well being of speech pathologists nationally and to identify workplace dimensions that are hindering or enhancing retention. The results of this study will be of significance to all stakeholders, in particularly individuals with communication disorders. The successful retention of experienced speech pathologists within the profession and the public sector will help ensure expert services are available to Australia's ageing population.Read moreRead less
Gene therapy to enhance auditory prosthesis performance for cochlear implants. The cochlear implant is the most effective neural prosthesis, restoring hearing to the deaf. The research aims to develop a new type of implant compatible with delivery of therapeutic genes to the cells lining the cochlea. Gene therapy DNA constructs will be developed that will enhance neural survival and growth, improving cochlear implant performance. The research will provide advances in understanding how to tran ....Gene therapy to enhance auditory prosthesis performance for cochlear implants. The cochlear implant is the most effective neural prosthesis, restoring hearing to the deaf. The research aims to develop a new type of implant compatible with delivery of therapeutic genes to the cells lining the cochlea. Gene therapy DNA constructs will be developed that will enhance neural survival and growth, improving cochlear implant performance. The research will provide advances in understanding how to transfer genes into cochlear tissue, as well as development of gene cassettes for effective neural repair. The work will advance the field of bionics, an area where Australia is establishing international preeminence.Read moreRead less
Detecting language disorder in children with a language background other than English: the role of the Dynamic Assessment. 17.6% of Australia's culturally diverse population are born in non-English speaking countries. Recently, reports of unprecedented growth in the diagnosis of children with language disorders have emerged. There are difficulties in accurately identifying children at risk of language disorder. We hypothesize that some children with language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE ....Detecting language disorder in children with a language background other than English: the role of the Dynamic Assessment. 17.6% of Australia's culturally diverse population are born in non-English speaking countries. Recently, reports of unprecedented growth in the diagnosis of children with language disorders have emerged. There are difficulties in accurately identifying children at risk of language disorder. We hypothesize that some children with language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE) are mis-identified. If true, then scarce resources are being misdirected and inappropriately allocated, depriving children with true language disorder of support and intervention. The aim of this project is to determine the utility of the Dynamic Assessment to discriminate normal language learning from language learning difficulties in LBOTE children.
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Tonal language development in Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking children with cochlear implants. Cochlear implantation in children is expanding in countries where tonal languages are spoken, despite limited evidence of the effectiveness of implant use in these settings. This project will examine the impact of implant use on children's perception of tone, their production of speech and assesses how this affects functional communication.
Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social dev ....Bilateral Cochlear Implants for Children: Does a Second Implant Improve Language, Psychosocial and Other Outcomes? Severe-profound congenital hearing loss engenders significant costs to society. In 2005, specialised education cost -- on average $25,000 per child, loss of productivity cost -- $6.7 billion, and social security benefits were paid to approximately 129,000 individuals who were unemployed due to hearing loss. If bilateral cochlear implantation results in improved language, social development, and academic outcomes, the community benefits arising will be greatly improved quality of life for these individuals and significant savings to society. In partnership with Cochlear Ltd, this study will provide some of the first data worldwide comparing the effects of an additional implant on language, social and educational outcomes.Read moreRead less
Participation following traumatic brain injury in rural, regional and remote areas. The results of this project will lead to improved rehabilitation programs and better outcomes for people with brain injury, especially in regional, rural and remote areas, by targeting the ultimate goal more directly: participation - getting people back into their home, work and community roles. Participation is associated with improved social networks, wellbeing, independence and quality of life, so health care ....Participation following traumatic brain injury in rural, regional and remote areas. The results of this project will lead to improved rehabilitation programs and better outcomes for people with brain injury, especially in regional, rural and remote areas, by targeting the ultimate goal more directly: participation - getting people back into their home, work and community roles. Participation is associated with improved social networks, wellbeing, independence and quality of life, so health care burdens and costs are reduced, and people can lead more productive lives. The project's emphasis on country areas will benefit rural health care, and also help specialist metropolitan brain injury services to understand the specific rehabilitation issues facing people from the bush.Read moreRead less
Prediction of outcome following whiplash injury: a multicentre international prospective study. The main aim of this study is to validate a set of biological and psychological prognostic indicators of outcome following whiplash injury that we have previously identified in a single centre prospective cohort. Validation will be in the context of a large multicentre international cohort. This will allow stakeholders involved in whiplash such as health care and insurance providers to predict with co ....Prediction of outcome following whiplash injury: a multicentre international prospective study. The main aim of this study is to validate a set of biological and psychological prognostic indicators of outcome following whiplash injury that we have previously identified in a single centre prospective cohort. Validation will be in the context of a large multicentre international cohort. This will allow stakeholders involved in whiplash such as health care and insurance providers to predict with confidence both those persons at risk of developing chronic symptoms as well as those with a good chance of full recovery. Furthermore the validation of the predictive capacity of these indicators will, for the first time, provide predictive markers that are amenable to specific early multiprofessional treatment interventions.Read moreRead less
Collaborative approaches to the prevention of work related injuries in railway workers. RailCorp NSW is a large employer within the NSW transport industry sector and as such has a high potential exposure to occupational injury. RailCorp has committed to the safety of its employees through its efforts towards a systematic identification of injury risk factors to create a safer workplace as well as creating a 'risk aware safety culture'. Interventions which are effective in reducing the incidenc ....Collaborative approaches to the prevention of work related injuries in railway workers. RailCorp NSW is a large employer within the NSW transport industry sector and as such has a high potential exposure to occupational injury. RailCorp has committed to the safety of its employees through its efforts towards a systematic identification of injury risk factors to create a safer workplace as well as creating a 'risk aware safety culture'. Interventions which are effective in reducing the incidence and severity of work related injuries have not only immediate benefits both in terms of human (workforce retention, job satisfaction, job performance, etc) and financial factors for RailCorp management and its employees but has wider applications to other comparable complex high risk industries.
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Sound practice: Supporting sustainable careers in orchestral musicians through Occupational Health and Safety initiatives. This project will produce new knowledge about musician health, well-being and injury prevention and management. It will establish the first injury surveillance system for musicians internationally and the first set of rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of injury management interventions for orchestral musicians. We will establish musician-specific assessment prot ....Sound practice: Supporting sustainable careers in orchestral musicians through Occupational Health and Safety initiatives. This project will produce new knowledge about musician health, well-being and injury prevention and management. It will establish the first injury surveillance system for musicians internationally and the first set of rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of injury management interventions for orchestral musicians. We will establish musician-specific assessment protocols, practices and interventions leading to effective OHS policies, thus enabling global improvement in OHS in the music industry, preventing economic and personal loss from premature career termination due to injury, and assisting, through mentoring, the new generation of young orchestral musicians.Read moreRead less