Professor Louise Hickson

Executive Dean

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

Affiliate Professor

UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
l.hickson@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 57969

Overview

hearing impairment, hearing loss, hearing rehabilitation, evidence-based practice, family-centred hearing care

Louise Hickson, AM, is Professor of Audiology and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at The University of Queensland. Professor Hickson has published over 280 research articles, books and book chapters with her main focus on the effects of hearing loss on people's everyday lives and the development of strategies and interventions that improve the uptake and outcomes of hearing rehabilitation. Her most recent book published in 2019 is "Patient and Family-Centered Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology: A Practical Guide for Students". Professor Hickson is President of the International Society or Audiology and a Fellow and Past President of Audiology Australia. She has received numerous awards recognising her contributions to audiology, including the international research award from the American Academy of Audiology, The University of Queensland Leadership Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Hearing Australia. In 2021 Professor Hickson was Australia's Leading Researcher in the field of Audiology and Speech and Language Pathology and in 2022 became a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to tertiary education and audiology associations. She is a sought after speaker and regularly presents at conferences and meetings around the world. She also provides advice to hearing rehabilitation service providers both in Australia and overseas and is committed to improving services for people with hearing difficulties.

Research Interests

  • Effects of hearing impairment on the lives of older adults and the rehabilitation of older people with hearing impairment.
    Professor Hickson is recognized internationally as a leader in audiology. Her major research themes are age-related hearing impairment, the associated effects of that impairment on the communication abilities and quality of life of older adults, and the efficacy of different forms of intervention (e.g., hearing aid fitting, communication education) with this population. To a lesser extent, evaluating the efficacy of audiological interventions for children. In collaboration with Dr Adrian Fuente, she has expanded her research work to include hearing impairment acquired by noise and solvent exposure. Examples of her profile and impact are invitations to speak at 3-4 national and international conferences each year, her editorship of the International Journal of Audiology, her roles as research representative on the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing’s Hearing Services Consultancy Committee, and Australasian representative on the WHO Steering Committee on Hearing.

Research Impacts

Professor Hickson is a world leader in hearing rehabilitation research and her work has changed practice in Australia and overseas. For example, the Active Communication Education (ACE) program that she developed and evaluated has been used in many countries around the world including Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, Chile, Hong Kon, Korea, Iran, Germany and Sweden. She is committed to the transfer of knowledge into practice and has extensive professional links that facilitate this transfer. For example, she is the Leader of Phonak's international Family-Centred Care Expert Panel, an Editor of the International Journal of Audiology and President of the International Society of Audiology.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Masters (Coursework), The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor (Honours), The University of Queensland

Publications

View all Publications

Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Louise Hickson and Barbra Timmer (2021). Evidence-based practice and research opportunities. Adult Audiologic Rehabilitation. (pp. 573-584) edited by Joseph J. Montano and Jaclyn B. Spitzer. San Diego, CA, United States: Plural Publishing.

  • Ekberg, Katie, Hickson, Louise and Lind, Christopher (2020). Practices of negotiating responsibility for troubles in interaction involving people with hearing impairment. Atypical interaction: the impact of communicative impairments within everyday talk. (pp. 409-433) edited by Ray Wilkinson, John P. Rae and Gitte Rasmussen. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-28799-3_14

  • Hickson, Louise, Rose, Tanya, Scarinci, Nerina and Meyer, Carly (2019). Identifying patient and family member needs through assessment. Patient and family-centered speech-language pathology and audiology: a practical guide for students. (pp. 94-112) edited by Carly Meyer, Nerina Scarinci and Louise Hickson. New York, NY, United States: Thieme Medical Publishers.

  • Hickson, Louise, Meyer, Carly and Scarinci, Nerina (2019). Meeting Patient and Family Member Needs through Collaborative Management Planning. Patient and Family-Centered Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. (pp. 114-132) edited by Carly Meyer, Nerina Scarinci and Louise Hickson. New York, NY United States: Thieme.

  • Hickson, Louise (2013). Evidence-based practice in adult audiologic rehabilitation. Adult audiologic rehabilitation. (pp. 401-414) edited by Joseph J. Montano and Jaclyn B. Spitzer. San Diego, CA, United States: Plural Publishing.

  • Worrall, L., Hickson, L. and O'Callaghan, A. (2013). International Alliances. Professional issues in speech-language pathology and audiology. (pp. 138-156) edited by Rosemary Lubinski and Melanie W. Hudson. Clifton Park, NY United States: Delmar, Cengage Learning.

  • Lena, Wong and Louise, Hickson (2012). Evaluation and implementation of EBP in audiology. Evidence-based practice in rehabilitative audiology evaluating: interventions for children and adults with hearing impairment. (pp. 309-322) edited by Wong Lena and Hickson Louise. San Diego, CA, United States: Plural Publishing.

  • Lena, Wong and Hickson, Louise (2012). Evidence-based practice in audiology. Evidence-based practice in rehabilitative audiology evaluating: interventions for children and adults with hearing impairment. (pp. 3-22) edited by Wong Lena and Hickson Louise. San Diego, CA, United States: Plural Publishing.

  • Laplante-Lévesque, Arianne, Hickson, Louise and Worrall, Linda (2012). Matching evidence with client preferences. Evidence-based practice in audiology: Evaluating interventions for children and adults with hearing impairment. (pp. 41-58) edited by Lena Wong and Louise Hickson. San Diego, CA, United States: Plural Publishing.

  • Hickson, L. (2009). Evidence-based practice in adult audiologic rehabilitation. Adult Audiologic Rehabilitation. (pp. 367-380) edited by Montano, J. J. and Spitzer, J. B.. Brisbane, Australia: Plural Publishing.

  • Cruice, M., Hill, R., Worrall, L. and Hickson, L. (2008). Comparing and contrasting views: Building a consensus around quality of life with aphasia. Language Disorders in Children and Adults: New Issues in Research and Practice. (pp. 98-121) edited by Joffe, V., Cruice, M. and Chiat, S.. London: John Wiley.

  • Worrall, L. E. and Hickson, L. M. H. (2007). International alliances. Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. (pp. 123-137) edited by R. Lubinski, L. A. C. Golper and C. M. Frattali. Clifton Park, New York: Thomson Delmar Learning.

  • Hickson, L M H (2006). Educational partnerships with clients who have hearing impairment. Client Education: A Partnership Approach for Health Practitioners. (pp. 226-245) edited by K. McKenna and L. Tooth. Sydney: Univ NSW Press.

  • Worrall, L. and Hickson, L. (2002). Communication disability in ageing: a program of research. Ageing research: a cross-disciplinary view. (pp. 47-56) edited by H. Bartlett and R. Findlay. Qld, Australia: Centre for Human Ageing Colloquium Series, The University of Queensland.

  • Worrall, L.E. and Hickson, L. M. H. (2001). International alliances. Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. (pp. 77-94) edited by R. Lubinski and C. Frattali. San Diego, CA: Singular Thomson Learning.

  • Pye, D., Worrall, L. E. and Hickson, L. M. H. (2000). Assessment and treatment of functional communication in an extended care facility. Neurogenic communication disorders: A functional approach. (pp. 312-328) edited by Linda E. Worrall and Carol M. Frattali. New York: Thieme.

  • Thyer, N., Barbara, D. and Hickson, L. M. H. (2000). Do Children with Literacy Difficulties have non-native-like CVC Perception?. New Directions in Language Development and Disorders. (pp. 279-292) edited by Michael R. Perkins and Sara Howard. New York: Kluwer Academic. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-4157-8_27

  • Larkins, Brigette M., Worrall, Linda E. and Hickson, Louise M. H. (2000). Functional communication in cognitive communication disorders following Traumatic Brain Injury. Neurogenic communication disorders: A functional approach. (pp. 206-219) edited by L. E. Worrall and C. M. Frattali. New York: Thieme.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Edited Outputs

Grants (Administered at UQ)

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

Completed Supervision