Hearing Loss Prevention Program
The Hearing Loss Prevention Program (HLPP) is a research program funded by the Department of Health and Ageing (the Department). The HLPP was a 2007-08 Budget measure to help reduce the incidence of hearing loss in the community and its consequent impacts on productivity in Australia.
HLPP projects are applicable nationally and provide sustainable benefits, targeting young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and/or those in the workplace.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) administers the HLPP on behalf of the Department. Applications for HLPP funding are made through the NHMRC.
Since 2007-08, 14 projects have been funded under the HLPP totaling $5.78M. These projects will fill important research gaps and progress knowledge on the prevention of hearing loss.
Policy Parameters and Information for applicants seeking funding under the Hearing Loss Prevention Program (HLPP)
Key Objectives
The Department and Australian Government priorities
Funding
The Department requirements for funding
Types of activities that will not be funded
How to Apply
Hearing Loss Prevention Program completed projects
Hearing Loss Prevention Program funded projects (in progress)
Key Objectives
Research funded under this program should focus on hearing loss prevention or reducing the impact of hearing loss on the community. Priority will be given to proposals that address specific activities or behavioural changes which help prevent avoidable hearing loss or reduce the effects of hearing loss. Projects must have a direct, demonstrable link to the findings of existing research in this area. Projects may also aim to fill important research gaps and progress knowledge to inform prevention activities.The key objectives of all projects should include:
- Cost effectiveness;
- Focus on hearing loss prevention; and
- Reduction of the impact of hearing loss.
The Department and Australian Government priorities
The following links are to relevant policy documents that also specify measures currently funded by the Australian Government. These documents should be used as a guide however this list should not limit the scope of Applicants’ investigations:- On 26 February 2009 the Australian Government made a commitment over four years for the Improving Eye and Ear Health Services for Indigenous Australians for Better Education and Employment Outcomes measure. Information on the measure is available at: Boost for Indigenous eye and ear health link.
- The Department and the Australian Government priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health matters are represented in the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Australian Government Implementation Plan 2003 - 2008 National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health .
- Help prevent avoidable hearing loss in one, or a combination, of the target groups;
- Help to reduce the effect of hearing loss in one, or a combination, of the target groups;
- Fill important knowledge gaps in relation to:
- Current knowledge concerning hearing loss;
- Reducing the impact of hearing loss;
- Current knowledge of prevention loss programs/initiatives; and
- Reducing the impact of hearing loss to members of the target groups;
Funding
Applicants should be aware that they must meet both the NHMRC and the Departments funding requirements to be successful.HLPP funding will provide support to projects that:
- Undertake and evaluate hearing loss prevention activities or activities to reduce the effect of hearing loss that draw on existing research into hearing loss;
- Develop and assess prevention activities that would result in increased awareness of the causes of avoidable hearing loss and related risk factors in one or a combination of the targeted groups;
- Have a high probability of making a difference by addressing problems of the greatest severity or the long term impacts of avoidable hearing loss in the future;
- Are sustainable in the sense that the project benefits will be available to targeted populations after the project has been completed, without additional Australian funding;
- Are applicable nationally (or in other Australian Government settings); and
- Are consistent with the Department and Australian Government priorities. (Refer above).
The Department requirements for funding
In addition to meeting the NHMRC assessment requirements, applicants must meet the Department’s funding requirements, in particular, the additional requirement to provide regular progress reports to the Department and disseminate project findings to the wider community.Applicants for funding must be a legal entity.
The Department will evaluate applications for funding against the following:
- Demonstrated need / business case;
- Quality of projects (including background and scope, and planning);
- Capacity and infrastructure; and
- Value for money.
- Clear descriptions of outcomes for the project;
- Strategies for achieving the objectives and outcomes of the project;
- A description of the main research activities;
- Reporting and dissemination strategy for findings;
- Project timeframe;
- Clear deliverables from the project;
- Proposed translation of findings into prevention strategy/s;
- Whole of project costs, with itemised budget information for each year of the project;
- Review and performance measures; and
- Description of how project activities and benefits will be applied nationally and sustained in the future.
Printable PDF version of Policy Parameters for funding under the Hearing Loss Prevention Program (HLPP) (PDF 22 KB)
If you are unable to download the PDF document on this page please email Office of Hearing Services and a copy will be provided.
Types of activities that will not be funded
Top of Page- Projects or activities that duplicate existing resources or initiatives, including audiological or clinical interventions, screening/assessments and training for Aboriginal Health Workers in the detection of hearing loss;
- Biomedical projects or activities including surgical interventions;
- Special education interventions for hearing impaired people, such as established or developing hearing rehabilitation therapies (but not excluding behavioural change measures) for hearing impaired people;
- Any project that does not have a direct, demonstrable link to the findings of existing research;
- Activities requiring long-term, recurrent or ongoing funding of routine service delivery (for example, the extension of services which are already being funded via another source or the commencement of an activity that would require Australian Government funding in the future);
- Activities with a narrow targeted population with no potential for broader application;
- Projects that seek to use Australian Government funds to create an evidence base for commercial products;
- Projects which are not cost-effective; and
- Projects that include capital works or require significant Australian investment in assets.
How to Apply
The NHMRC administers the HLPP on behalf of the Department.All applications for grants funding must meet the NHMRC’s funding requirements, as well as the Department funding requirements.
Information about this process can be found on the NHMRC website.
The NHMRC provides funding for all areas of research relevant to human health and medical research.
Research funding administered by the NHMRC is organised into three categories: Research Support, Infrastructure Support and People Support.
All NHMRC funding recipients are required to complete regular administrative activities and reporting. All grants funded by the NHMRC are offered in accordance with the Deed of Agreement between the NHMRC and the Administering Institution.
Hearing Loss Prevention Program completed projects
- Edith Cowan University - Using auditory simulations to enable prevention of noise exposure in school-age children and young adults.
- Safe Work Australia - Getting Heard – Effective prevention of hazardous occupational noise.
- Australian Hearing Services, through National Acoustic Laboratories: Lifetime profiles of exposure to sound – what is a safe noise exposure?
- Australian Hearing Services, through National Acoustic Laboratories: Prevalence of hearing loss and its relationship to leisure-sound exposure in adolescents (iHEAR)
- Flinders University SA: An evaluation of the benefits of swimming pools for the hearing and ear health status of young Indigenous Australians.
This research is funded by the Hearing Loss Prevention Program for the Department of Health and Ageing and is released to the Office of Hearing Services. The views expressed and the recommendations contained are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Department of Health and Ageing policy. Judicious discretion should be applied when using, quoting, or applying any of the information contained in the Reports.
Hearing Loss Prevention Program funded projects (in progress):
- Australian Hearing Services, through National Acoustic Laboratories: Hear Today, Hear Tomorrow – A school curriculum based hearing health program;
- Edith Cowan University: Sonic Silence – An interactive demonstration of the difficulties in communication between people when they have simulated hearing loss and tinnitus;
- Menzies School of Health Research: Evaluation of a case management support program for prevention of hearing loss associated with otitis media with perforation in Indigenous children 0 – 13 years of age;
- Phoenix Consulting Group Pty Ltd: Preventing Indigenous early childhood hearing loss;
- University of Western Australia, through Ear Science Institute Australia Inc: Strategies and tools to prevent hearing loss of users of personal music players;
- Australian Hearing Services: iHEAR2;
- Deakin University: ‘Shhh….. Hearing in a Farming Environment’;
- University of Melbourne: Identifying sounds in noise in normal and damaged hearing; and
- University of Queensland: Prevention of hearing loss induced by solvents and noise
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