Soundfair’s Tinnitus Australia initiative has changed its name to Tinnitus Awareness but retains the same aim, to give voice to people living with tinnitus through awareness, information and advocacy.
The initiative is also planning Australia’s first national consumer survey from funds raised during Tinnitus Week next year which it hopes will shape future advocacy, research and systemic change.
“It’s a new name but the same aim, to unite voices, raise awareness, and improve the lives of those impacted by tinnitus,” said Soundfair CEO, audiologist Dr Caitlin Barr.
Tinnitus Australia was established in 2017 under Soundfair, a charity and peer-support organisation established in 1932 by Deaf or Hard of Hearing individuals.
“Tinnitus Awareness aims to improve awareness and support for people with tinnitus, focusing on the mental health impacts, barriers to quality support and importance of prevention,” Dr Barr said. “Through Tinnitus Awareness, Soundfair aims to break the stigma and silence around tinnitus.”
She said Tinnitus Awareness was Soundfair’s national campaign. Its goals are:
- to raise public awareness – by educating the public on tinnitus and its impact and fostering a deeper understanding and empathy for those affected;
- to empower and support individuals – by providing accessible resources and information and connecting people with tinnitus to the support they need;
- to drive advocacy and policy change, advocating for improved funding, research, and support systems to enhance resources and reduce stigma around tinnitus.
The name change occurred on 15 November 2024.
‘T is for Tinnitus’ campaign
For Tinnitus Awareness Week from February 3 to 9 2025, Tinnitus Awareness will run a national campaign, entitled, ‘T is for Tinnitus: Unseen, Unheard, Ignored’.
“It will focus on highlighting the serious mental health impacts of tinnitus, but the lack of a dialogue about lived experiences at a population level in Australia,” Dr Barr said.
She said the digital campaign aimed to make the condition visible and talked about and appealed to audiologists and others in the hearing sector to become involved and help promote the week.
“The campaign seeks to generate funds to enable Soundfair to launch Australia’s first national consumer survey entitled ‘Living with tinnitus,’ aimed at understanding the hidden struggles faced by individuals living with this condition,” Dr Barr said.
“The survey will gather data and share results of the mental health impacts, financial and wellbeing costs, support and service gaps. Results will be shared widely to inform future advocacy, research, treatment and policy positions.”
People can receive their free T is for Tinnitus digital campaign kit here.
The T is for Tinnitus digital campaign aims to make tinnitus visible and talked about by encouraging people to:
- share their own tinnitus story on social media using #TisforTinnitus and #TinnitusAwareness.
- show their support for people with tinnitus by posting on social media with the hand signal “T”.
- organise and run their own T-themed event such as a morning tea, tennis match or treasure hunt and share it using #TisforTinnitus and #TinnitusAwareness. Organisers of the first 100 events to register will receive a free host kit containing T-themed items.
- donate to Soundfair to support the work of Tinnitus Awareness and fund the survey.
Soundfair says hearing practitioners can also:
- Promote their work and tinnitus to their community by following Tinnitus Awareness socials.
- Encourage their clients to share their tinnitus story here.
- Sponsor the campaign.
- Volunteer to promote the campaign to their networks or organise an event in their organisation or community.
Tinnitus Awareness Week is internationally observed, originally led by Tinnitus UK, and now celebrated by many countries, including the USA through the American Tinnitus Association.
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