A scoping review of ear and hearing health research in Aotearoa New Zealand: a focus on equity.

A recommendation from a series of Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) ear and hearing health hui was to summarise literature in ear, hearing, and vestibular health to inform future strategic directions. We aimed to conduct a scoping review of ear, hearing, and vestibular health literature in NZ over the past 50 years, with a particular focus on equity research in underserved communities. The review was undertaken using PRISMA guidelines and managed using Covidence. Several databases were searched, and data charting and extraction processes occurred for consensus. Peer-reviewed studies (n = 77) were examined and study characteristics and seven overarching themes emerged. There have been notable changes in research approaches and advancements in treatments and technology. However, inequitable ear disease and hearing loss and barriers to accessing ear and hearing healthcare persist especially for Māori and Pacific communities. Recommendations in literature emphasise the importance of preventative measures, targeting resources, strengthening local and workforce capacity, and focusing on policy/strategic directions. This review highlights key avenues for future research, practice, and policy aimed at effectively addressing the inequities in ear and hearing health outcomes. By focusing on these directions we can work towards equitable ear and hearing health outcomes in NZ. Glossary and terminology: Acute Otitis Media (AOM): acute or rapid onset of middle ear infection/s; Aotea: Great Barrier Island; Aotearoa: North Island of New Zealand (NZ) - now used as the Māori word for NZ; Atua: God-like or ancestor with continuing influence; B4 School Check (B4SC): NZ nationwide free health and development check for 4-5 year-olds; Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM): also known as chronic otitis media, is a stage of ear disease in which there is chronic inflammation and infection of the middle ear and mastoid cavity; deaf: With a small 'd', deaf refers to hearing loss - e.g. 'he is deaf'; Deaf: The word Deaf (spelt with a capital 'D') denotes a unique community. The use of sign language as one's first language is the principle characteristic of people who identify with the Deaf community; Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE): A diagnostic tool for hearing loss that reflect outer sensory hair cell integrity and cochlear function; Grommet/ Tympanostomy tube/ Ventilation Tube (VT): a small tube inserted in the tympanic membrane which helps in the prevention of fluid accumulation in the middle ear; Hui: gathering, meeting; Kaumātua: Māori elder/s; Kaupapa Māori: a philosophical approach using Māori knowledge and values; Ki te whai ao wānanga: a transformative Kaupapa Māori praxis; Kia māhaki: be humble; Māori: Indigenous peoples of NZ; Mana motuhake: self-determination, authority and capacity to be autonomous; Mātauranga Māori: Indigenous Māori knowledge; Otitis media (OM): A range of conditions causing middle ear inflammation; Otitis media with effusion (OME): A condition in which there is fluid in the middle ear but no signs of infection; Otorhinolaryngology (ORL): the study of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT); Pacific peoples as migrants from other lands in the Pacific region; Tangata Tiriti: People of Te Tiriti (non-Māori); Tāngata Turi/Turi Māori: Māori Deaf; Tangata Whaikaha: People with lived experiences of disability; Tangata Whenua: People of the land; Tā: Sir; Te Reo Māori: Indigenous language of New Zealand, Māori language; Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti): Signed in 1840, this is the Māori language version of an agreement between the Crown and some Māori chiefs; Te Whare Tapa Wha: a holistic Māori model of health created by Tā Mason Durie; Tikanga Māori: Māori customs/protocols; Tino rangatiratanga: Absolute sovereignty; Whakawhanaungatanga: relationship-building; Whānau: immediate and extended family network.