INFLATE Trial Press Release
Department of General Practice, School of Medicine secures 2017 NHMRC funding for ground breaking research into ear disease in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
We are pleased to announce our recent success in receiving funding for the INFLATE Trial through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grant scheme. Researchers from the Department of General Practice at Western Sydney University will work with seven urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services and other University partners to investigate an innovative alternative to treating Glue ear (otitis media with effusion). The INFLATE Trial is a multi-centre randomised controlled trial that will examine nasal balloon auto-inflation for glue ear in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in urban areas
Dr Penny Abbott, Senior Lecturer with the Department of General Practice, explains ‘We will see if the use of a simple device in which a child blows up a balloon with their nostrils helps resolve glue ear, improves hearing and is acceptable for the management of this important problem’.
The team has responded to research ideas arising from the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector, consistent with NHMRC’s call for patient focused research. The team has now been successful in two grant applications for landmark Australian trials examining treatments for otitis media: the WATCH Trial and now the INFLATE Trial.
‘An important aspect of the INFLATE trial is that it allows us to continue our strong research partnerships with the participating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services. These services and their staff have been committed to promoting high quality research which matters to their communities and which improves the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’, said Dr Abbott.
Glue ear is one of the most common childhood diseases, causes of hearing loss and reasons for surgery in children. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have the highest rates of persistent, severe and complicated otitis media, and this could have a significant impact on their health, development and educational attainment.
Despite the impact of OME, there is limited evidence for effective non-surgical options.
The INFLATE trial will be one of very few intervention trials in a population at high risk of middle ear disease and will have international relevance. Use of autoinflation could result in large health benefits and health system cost savings through less antibiotic use and fewer operations.
Chief Investigators
- Associate Professor Penelope Abbott, Western Sydney University
- Professor Jennifer Reath, Western Sydney University
- Associate Professor Hasantha Gunasekera, University of Sydney
- Professor Amanda Leach, Menzies School of Health Research
- Associate Professor Kelvin Kong, University of Newcastle
- Associate Professor Deborah Askew, Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, Queensland Health
- Associate Professor Federico Girosi, Western Sydney University
- Professor Wendy Hu, Western Sydney University
- Professor Timothy Usherwood, University of Sydney
- Ms Sanja Lujic, University of New South Wales
Associate Investigators
- Doctor Geoff Spurling, Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, Queensland Health
- Professor Peter Morris, Menzies School of Health Research
- Ms Samantha Harkus, Australian Hearing
- Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle, Western Sydney University
- Ms Cheryl Woodall, Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation
- Ms Cheryl Sidhom, Kalwun Aboriginal Health Service
- Doctor Theunis Kotzee, TAIHS
- Ms Katie Edney, Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
Aboriginal Service Partners
- Inala Indigenous Health Service, Brisbane
- Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, Sydney
- Kalwun Development Corporation
- Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Services
- Victorian Aboriginal Health Services
Project Title
A multi-centre randomised controlled trial to compare nasal balloon auto-inflation versus no nasal balloon auto inflation for Otitis Media with Effusion in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (INFLATE)
Funding: $2,534,580.
Contact Details: p.abbott@westernsydney.edu.au
Grant ID: APP1120317