MEDIA RELEASE 9 June 2022
The National Acoustic Laboratories partners with WS Audiology to
overcome barriers to better hearing
The National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), the research division of Hearing Australia, is pleased to announce a new collaboration with WS Audiology to conduct research to improve the hearing health of Australians living with hearing loss.
This initiative builds on the ongoing collaboration the organisations have developed over a number of years.
Mr Kim Terrell, Managing Director of Hearing Australia, said it has been estimated that people spend around nine years on average before seeking help for hearing difficulties1. By conducting research with WS Audiology, NAL hopes to gain insights into the barriers that exist for people with hearing loss and what information and help they need to take action earlier.
“With this knowledge, we can understand how to make it easier for people to access hearing care and services and develop hearing solutions that best meet their needs. Giving more people the opportunity to experience the joy of sound and stay connected to their loved ones and communities,” said Mr Terrell.
Hearing healthcare continues to evolve with advancements in technology leading to many new hearing device innovations. NAL is leading research into the benefits that these new technologies bring to people with hearing loss.
Dr Brent Edwards, Director of NAL, said that people are faced with more choices than ever when seeking to improve their hearing health.
Through this research collaboration, NAL will work closely with WS Audiology to investigate the knowledge and attitudes that Australians have about hearing solutions and factors that impact their decisions to use a hearing device.
“NAL has been conducting research into direct-to-consumer and self-fitting hearing aids, which is something that is already having an impact internationally. Doing research with WS Audiology will help us to expand our work in this area and continue to investigate associated outcomes of over the counter hearing devices compared to traditional hearing aids that are fitted by an audiologist,” said Dr Edwards.
James Benston, Managing Director of WS Audiology ANZ said “WS Audiology is extremely excited to start this new joint research initiative. Both parties are passionate about bringing wonderful sound to as many Australians as possible. These research projects help us understand how to achieve this at a greater level than we do today.”
