This simple test can help kids hear better | Susan Emmett

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yulei Cao

Listen to the sounds of why hearing matters

聽見聲音對於阿拉斯加的

原住民而言很重要。

to the Alaskan Native people.

Hearing loss makes it hard to fish on the open water,

聽力缺損會造成在開放水域捕魚、 獵殺北美馴鹿，

hunt caribou and harvest berries,

以及採收莓類變得更困難，

activities central to Alaskan Native culture.

這些活動對於阿拉斯加 原住民文化而言都很重要。

Hearing loss isn't unique to rural Alaska.

並不是只有阿拉斯加農村的人 才有聽力缺損問題。

It's global.

它是全球性的問題。

The Global Burden of Disease Project estimates there are 1.1 billion people

「全球性疾病負擔研究」 估計全世界有 11 億人

living with hearing loss worldwide.

帶著聽力缺損在過生活。

That's more people than the entire population here in sub-Saharan Africa.

這個數目比整個 撒哈拉以南非洲的人口還多。

Over 80 percent are in low- and middle-income countries,

這些人當中，超過 80% 都住在中低收入的國家，

and many have no access to hearing care.

許多人沒有辦法取得聽力照護。

The impact on people's lives is tremendous.

他們的生活受到很大的衝擊。

Anuk is a three-year-old boy I treated in Alaska.

阿努克是我在阿拉斯加 治療的一位三歲男孩。

Ear infections started when he was barely four months old.

當他才幾乎要四個月大時， 就開始出現耳朵感染。

His parents brought him into clinic,

他的父母帶他去診所，

worried he didn't say much compared to his brothers.

擔心相對於他的兄弟， 他的話比較少，可能是有問題。

Sure enough, many rounds of infections had resulted in hearing loss.

當然，許多次的感染 造成了聽力缺損。

Without treatment, Anuk's speech will continue to lag behind.

在沒有治療的情況下， 阿努力的說話能力就會持續落後。

He's more likely to do worse in school,

他在學校的表現很可能會比較差，

have worse job prospects

工作的前景也比較不好，

and experience social isolation.

還有可能會經歷到社會孤立的狀況。

But it doesn't have to be this way.

但不見得一定要如此。

The World Health Organization estimates that half of all global hearing loss

世界衛生組織估計， 全球的聽力缺損中，

有一半是可預防的。

can be prevented.

If Anuk's hearing loss is identified and treated promptly,

如果阿努克的聽力缺損 即時被發現和治療，

his life and the opportunities he has as he grows up

他在成長過成中的生活和機會

could look vastly different.

都會有很大的不同。

I'm an ear surgeon working with partners around the world

我是位耳外科醫生， 和全世界的夥伴合作，

on new pathways for hearing loss prevention.

想找到新的方式來預防聽力缺損。

This solution comes from my collaboration with a tribal health organization

這個解決方案是我和一個 部落的健康組織合作的結果，

called the Norton Sound Health Corporation.

這個組織叫諾頓灣健康公司。

Hearing loss evaluation traditionally requires testing by an audiologist

傳統上，若要做聽力缺損的評估， 需要在一間隔音室中

in a soundproof room,

由聽力師做測試，

with a lot of permanent equipment.

裡面還要有許多固定式設備。

An ear surgeon then examines Anuk's ears under a microscope

耳外科醫生接著會在顯微鏡下 檢視阿努克的耳朵，

and decides a treatment plan.

判斷要用什麼治療計畫。

These resources simply aren't available in remote settings.

而偏遠的地方不可能有這些資源。

In a state where 75 percent of communities aren't connected to a hospital

在這個州，75% 的社區和醫院間

by road,

沒有道路連結，

an expensive flight is required.

於是會需要昂貴的飛行費用。

To overcome these barriers, Alaska has developed

為了要克服這些障礙，

阿拉斯加開發了 一個先進的遠程醫療系統，

a state-of-the-art telemedicine system

that connects over 250 village health clinics

連結超過 250 個村落健康診所，

with specialists who triage all types of health concerns.

並且配有將病人依各種健康問題 做快速分類的專家。

My colleagues have validated that ear-related telemedicine consults

我同事已經驗證， 和耳朵相關的遠程醫療諮詢

are equivalent to an in-person exam.

和面對面的檢驗有相同的效果。

In 2016, travel was prevented for 91 percent of patients

2016 諾頓灣地區 接受專業遠程醫療的病人，

receiving specialty telemedicine in the Norton Sound region.

91% 省去了親自跑一趟的麻煩。

Telemedicine has saved over 18 million in travel costs in this single region

光在這個區域，在過去 15 年間， 遠程醫療就協助省下了

over the past 15 years.

1800 萬美金的旅費成本。

Our team is taking the power of telemedicine to a new level,

我們的團隊要讓 遠程醫療的力量再更上一層樓，

through a project

靠的就是一個由患者導向 醫療效果研究所資助的計畫。

funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

For the first time, we are merging telemedicine

這是第一次，我們將遠程醫療

with mobile screening technology

與行動篩檢技術結合， 這種技術能將

that extends the reach of expert triage beyond health care settings.

專家所做的病人快速分類 延伸到健康照護環境以外的地方。

This cell-based screen, developed in South Africa,

這種以細胞為基礎的篩檢 是在南非開發出來的，

costs over 10 times less than traditional equipment

它的成本不到 傳統設備的十分之一，

and does not require advanced training.

且不需要進階的訓練。

If I were screening Anuk at school,

如果我在學校裡為阿努克做篩檢，

sound-attenuating headphones and noise monitoring

減噪耳機和噪音監控

would take the place of a sound booth,

就會取代隔音間，

and I would use a phone adapter instead of a microscope

我就會用手機轉接器而不是顯微鏡

to examine his ears.

來檢測他的耳朵。

In a matter of minutes, screening and images are done.

只要幾分鐘的時間， 篩檢和影像就完成了。

We then apply Alaska telemedicine technology

接著，我們應用 阿拉斯加電視醫療技術

to transmit the data to specialists,

將資料傳輸給專家，

who connect Anuk to the treatment he needs.

他們會將阿努克 和他所需要的治療做連結。

Our team is launching a randomized trial

我們的團隊在白令海

沿岸 15 個社區 開始進行隨機試驗，

in 15 communities along the Bering Sea

to study how well this intervention works.

來研究這種干預治療方式的效果。

Our goal is to prevent childhood hearing loss across the state of Alaska.

我們的目標是要在阿拉斯加州 預防童年聽力缺損。

But the concept is bigger than a single state.

比如，在馬拉威，只有 2 位耳外科醫生和 11 位聽力師，

The impact is global.

Mobile telemedicine can revolutionize access to care.

人口卻有 1700 萬人。

這項技術能夠在馬拉威這類地方， 讓老師及社區健康工作者

In Malawi, for example, there are only two ear surgeons and 11 audiologists

有能力協助兒童取得照護。

for a population of 17 million.

若能擴及全球， 就能協助以前從來沒有辦法

This technology could empower teachers and community health workers

取得聽力治療的兒童， 改善他們的生活，

to provide access to care to children in places like Malawi.

只需要用一支手機的力量 就可以做到這點。

Scaling up globally could change children's lives

該是為可預防之聽力缺損 帶來改變的時候了。

who have never had access to hearing care before,

阿努克和無數像他一樣的兒童 都要仰賴我們。

using just the power of a cell phone.

謝謝。

（掌聲）

It's time to change the course of preventable hearing loss.

Anuk and countless children like him are depending on us.

Thank you.

(Applause)