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Dr Helen Gurteen
Dr

Helen Gurteen

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 344 33771

Overview

Background

Dr Helen Gurteen is an audiologist and health services researcher whose work focuses on improving hearing, listening, and communication outcomes across the lifespan. As a Conjoint Research Fellow with the University of Queensland and Princess Alexandra Hospital, she leads and collaborates on clinically embedded research designed to address real-world challenges faced by people with hearing and communication difficulties. Helen's research spans hearing healthcare, listening difficulties, auditory processing, auditory rehabilitation, communication accessibility, and implementation science. Her work combines quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods to develop, evaluate and implement approaches that improve participation, quality of life and access to care. Current areas of interest include:

  • Hearing and communication accessibility in healthcare settings
  • Listening difficulites and auditory processing disorder
  • Hearing care for under-served populations
  • Hearing and communication outcomes following brain injury
  • Health service evaluation, implementation, and translation of evidence into practice

Helen works closely with clinicians, health services, consumers, and researchers to ensure that research addresses priorities identified by the people who deliver and use healthcare. Her goal is to build research capability within clinical services and generate evidence that leads to meaningful improvements in hearing and communication outcomes.

Availability

Dr Helen Gurteen is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Psychology, Queensland University of Technology
  • Masters (Coursework) of Audiology Studies, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Audiology, The University of Queensland

Research interests

  • Hearing and Communication Accessibility

    Research focused on improving communication accessibility for people with hearing and communication difficulties across healthcare and community settings. This work examines barriers to effective communication, evaluates accessibility initiatives, and develops evidence-based strategies that support equitable participation, patient-centred care and health service delivery.

  • Listening Difficulties and Auditory Processing

    Research investigating listening difficulties and auditory processing across the lifespan, including identification, assessment and functional impacts on everyday communication. Particular interests include the relationship between listening difficulties, neurodevelopment, behaviour, attention and participation, and improving evidence-based approaches to clinical management.

  • Hearing Healthcare for Underserved Populations

    Research aimed at improving hearing health outcomes for underserved and priority populations. This includes understanding barriers to hearing care, identifying unmet needs, and developing equitable models of service delivery for populations who may experience reduced access to hearing healthcare and support.

  • Acquired Brain Injury and Communication Outcomes

    Research exploring hearing, listening and communication outcomes following acquired brain injury, including concussion and traumatic brain injury. This work seeks to better understand the factors that influence communication participation and to inform rehabilitation approaches that support recovery and quality of life.

  • Clinically Embedded Research and Implementation Science

    Research focused on integrating evidence generation into routine clinical practice and supporting the translation of research into healthcare improvement. This includes health service evaluation, implementation science, clinician-led research, and the development of sustainable models that strengthen research capability within healthcare services.

Research impacts

Helen's research addresses real-world barriers to communication, participation and healthcare access experienced by people with hearing and listening difficulties. Her work supports the development of more equitable, accessible and evidence-based hearing healthcare services, with a particular focus on translating research findings into improvements in clinical practice, workforce capability and service delivery.

Works

Search Professor Helen Gurteen’s works on UQ eSpace

34 works between 2009 and 2026

1 - 20 of 34 works

2026

Journal Article

Low-gain hearing aids for individuals with normal hearing thresholds: a scoping review of listening-related outcomes

Wilson, Wayne J. and Gurteen, Helen (2026). Low-gain hearing aids for individuals with normal hearing thresholds: a scoping review of listening-related outcomes. International Journal of Audiology, 1-18. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2026.2735516

Low-gain hearing aids for individuals with normal hearing thresholds: a scoping review of listening-related outcomes

2026

Journal Article

Vision, hearing, and dementia in older adults receiving home care services: implications for optometric practice

Toomey, Melinda, Gurteen, Helen, Franco, Bronwyn, Piano, Marianne, Keay, Lisa and Dawes, Piers (2026). Vision, hearing, and dementia in older adults receiving home care services: implications for optometric practice. Clinical and Experimental Optometry, 1-13. doi: 10.1080/08164622.2026.2704611

Vision, hearing, and dementia in older adults receiving home care services: implications for optometric practice

2026

Journal Article

Relationship between listening difficulties and internalising behaviours in school-aged children: a scoping review

Gurteen, Helen, Edwards, Elizabeth J. and Wilson, Wayne J. (2026). Relationship between listening difficulties and internalising behaviours in school-aged children: a scoping review. International Journal of Audiology, 1-15. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2026.2675569

Relationship between listening difficulties and internalising behaviours in school-aged children: a scoping review

2026

Conference Publication

The state of play in APD in 2026

Wilson, W. J. and Gurteen, H. (2026). The state of play in APD in 2026. Audiology Australia’s The Sound Exchange ’26 Audiology in Action, Sydney, Australia, 11-13 May 2026.

The state of play in APD in 2026

2026

Journal Article

Prevalence of hearing, vision and cognitive impairment and impact in older adults in home care: A study protocol

Toomey, Melinda, Wilson, Lana, Gurteen, Helen, Franco, Bronwyn, Bennett, Rebecca, Cenin, Dayna, El‐Saifi, Najwan, Ferguson, Melanie, Gu, Yuanyuan, Heine, Chyrisse, Keay, Lisa, Kumaran, Sheela, Lenzen, Sabrina, Leroi, Iracema, Lowthian, Judy A., Meyer, Carly, Mitchell, Leander, Newall, John, Pachana, Nancy A., Piano, Marianne, Raichand, Smriti, Scanlan, Emma, Sohrabi, Hamid and Dawes, Piers (2026). Prevalence of hearing, vision and cognitive impairment and impact in older adults in home care: A study protocol. Health Expectations, 29 (2) e70613, 1-11. doi: 10.1111/hex.70613

Prevalence of hearing, vision and cognitive impairment and impact in older adults in home care: A study protocol

2026

Journal Article

Protocol for a pre‐post field trial of a home hearing and vision care program for older Australians with diverse cognitive abilities and hearing and/or vision impairment

Toomey, Melinda, Gurteen, Helen, Bennett, Bec, Cenin, Dayna, El‐Saifi, Najwan, Ferguson, Melanie, Gu, Yuanyuan, Heine, Chyrisse, Keay, Lisa, Kumaran, Sheela, Lenzen, Sabrina, Leroi, Iracema, Lowthian, Judy A., Meyer, Carly, Mitchell, Leander, Newall, John, Pachana, Nancy A., Piano, Marianne, Raichand, Smriti, Scanlan, Emma, Sohrabi, Hamid R. and Dawes, Piers (2026). Protocol for a pre‐post field trial of a home hearing and vision care program for older Australians with diverse cognitive abilities and hearing and/or vision impairment. Health Science Reports, 9 (3) e71931, e71931. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.71931

Protocol for a pre‐post field trial of a home hearing and vision care program for older Australians with diverse cognitive abilities and hearing and/or vision impairment

2026

Journal Article

Establishing normative data for five new temporal auditory processing tests in primary-school aged children

Gudkar, Alisha Isaac, Dillon, Harvey, Heinrich, Antje, Nixon, Grace, Gurteen, Helen, Burgoyne, Kelly, Cameron, Sharon, Zhou, Xuehan and Tomlin, Dani (2026). Establishing normative data for five new temporal auditory processing tests in primary-school aged children. International Journal of Audiology, 1-15. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2026.2614523

Establishing normative data for five new temporal auditory processing tests in primary-school aged children

2026

Journal Article

The impact of cognition on hearTest administration in older adults receiving home care

Gurteen, Helen, Toomey, Melinda, Wilson, Lana, Franco, Bronwyn, Gu, Yuanyuan, Heine, Chyrisse, Lenzen, Sabrina and Dawes, Piers (2026). The impact of cognition on hearTest administration in older adults receiving home care. International Journal of Audiology, 65 (5), 625-631. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2025.2573033

The impact of cognition on hearTest administration in older adults receiving home care

2026

Journal Article

“Aged care is more than wiping bums and giving medication” – a qualitative study of the sensory support care needs of older Australians with hearing and/or vision impairment

Toomey, Melinda, Gurteen, Helen, Franco, Bronwyn, Wilson, Lana, Coleman, Marianne, El-Saifi, Najwan, Gu, Yuanyuan, Heine, Chyrisse, Keay, Lisa, Kumaran, Sheela, Lenzen, Sabrina, Leroi, Iracema, Meyer, Carly J., Mitchell, Leander, Pachana, Nancy A., Scanlan, Emma and Dawes, Piers (2026). “Aged care is more than wiping bums and giving medication” – a qualitative study of the sensory support care needs of older Australians with hearing and/or vision impairment. Disability and Rehabilitation, 48 (4), 986-995. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2025.2523971

“Aged care is more than wiping bums and giving medication” – a qualitative study of the sensory support care needs of older Australians with hearing and/or vision impairment

2026

Journal Article

Assessing language skills as a predictor of children’s listening difficulties: validation and reference data on a new auditory language task

Zhou, Xuehan, Dillon, Harvey, Tomlin, Dani, Burgoyne, Kelly, Gurteen, Helen, Nixon, Grace, Gudkar, Alisha Isaac and Heinrich, Antje (2026). Assessing language skills as a predictor of children’s listening difficulties: validation and reference data on a new auditory language task. Ear and Hearing, 47 (1), 226-235. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001715

Assessing language skills as a predictor of children’s listening difficulties: validation and reference data on a new auditory language task

2026

Other Outputs

Feasibility of the Spaeth Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) Test in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment Receiving Home Care Services

Toomey, Melinda, Dawes, Piers, Keay, Lisa, Gurteen, Helen, Wilson, Lana and Franco, Bronwyn (2026). Feasibility of the Spaeth Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) Test in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment Receiving Home Care Services. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/9ed2ea1

Feasibility of the Spaeth Richman Contrast Sensitivity (SPARCS) Test in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment Receiving Home Care Services

2025

Journal Article

Co‐designing a sensory support intervention for older adults with hearing and vision impairment living in Australian home care settings

Gurteen, Helen, Toomey, Melinda, Franco, Bronwyn, El‐Saifi, Najwan, Heine, Chyrisse, Leroi, Iracema, Meyer, Carly J., Kumaran, Sheela and Dawes, Piers (2025). Co‐designing a sensory support intervention for older adults with hearing and vision impairment living in Australian home care settings. Health Expectations, 28 (6) e70481, e70481. doi: 10.1111/hex.70481

Co‐designing a sensory support intervention for older adults with hearing and vision impairment living in Australian home care settings

2025

Conference Publication

SENSECog home care: evaluation of an intervention to support hearing and vision needs of people in home and assisted living settings

Dawes, Piers, Toomey, Melinda, Cenin, Dayna, Ferguson, Melanie, Franco, Bronwyn, Gu, Yuanyuan, Gurteen, Helen, Heine, Chyrisse, Keay, Lisa, Kumaran, Sheela, Lenzen, Sabrina, Leroi, Iracema, Lidscombe, Carrie, Lowthian, Judy, Meyer, Carly, Mitchell, Leander, Newall, John, Pachana, Nancy A., Piano, Marianne, Raichand, Smriti, Scanlan, Emma, Sohrabi, Hamid and Wilson, Lana (2025). SENSECog home care: evaluation of an intervention to support hearing and vision needs of people in home and assisted living settings. International Psychogeriatric Association's 2025 International Congress, Kanazawa, Japan, 25-27 September of 2025. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.inpsyc.2025.100164

SENSECog home care: evaluation of an intervention to support hearing and vision needs of people in home and assisted living settings

2025

Journal Article

Effects of age, sex, language ability and second language listening on children's recognition of nonwords and sentences in noise and reverberation

Zhou, Xuehan, Dillon, Harvey, Tomlin, Dani, Burgoyne, Kelly, Gurteen, Helen, Nixon, Grace, Cameron, Sharon, Gudkar, Alisha Isaac and Heinrich, Antje (2025). Effects of age, sex, language ability and second language listening on children's recognition of nonwords and sentences in noise and reverberation. International Journal of Audiology, 65 (5), 1-14. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2025.2552264

Effects of age, sex, language ability and second language listening on children's recognition of nonwords and sentences in noise and reverberation

2025

Other Outputs

HearTest dataset 2025

Dawes, Piers and Gurteen, Helen (2025). HearTest dataset 2025. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/a3e6359

HearTest dataset 2025

2025

Journal Article

Protocol for the process evaluation of the SENSE-Cog sensory support intervention field trial to improve quality of life for older people receiving home care in Australia

Gurteen, Helen, Toomey, Melinda, Franco, Bronwyn, Bennett, Rebecca, Cenin, Dayna R., El-Saifi, Najwan, Ferguson, Melanie, Gu, Yuanyuan, Heine, Chyrisse, Keay, Lisa, Kumaran, Sheela, Lenzen, Sabrina, Leroi, Iracema, Lowthian, Judy A., Meyer, Carly J., Mitchell, Leander K., Newall, John, Pachana, Nancy A., Piano, Marianne, Raichand, Smriti, Scanlan, Emma, Sohrabi, Hamid R. and Dawes, Piers (2025). Protocol for the process evaluation of the SENSE-Cog sensory support intervention field trial to improve quality of life for older people receiving home care in Australia. Health Expectations, 28 (3) e70305, 1-12. doi: 10.1111/hex.70305

Protocol for the process evaluation of the SENSE-Cog sensory support intervention field trial to improve quality of life for older people receiving home care in Australia

2020

Journal Article

Determining unilateral or bilateral hearing aid preference in adults: a prospective study

Glyde, Helen, Dillon, Harvey, Young, Taegan, Seeto, Mark and Roup, Christina (2020). Determining unilateral or bilateral hearing aid preference in adults: a prospective study. International Journal of Audiology, 60 (5), 341-349. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1828629

Determining unilateral or bilateral hearing aid preference in adults: a prospective study

2016

Journal Article

Investigating the interaction between dichotic deficits and cognitive abilities using the dichotic digits difference test (DDdT) part 2

Cameron, Sharon, Glyde, Helen, Dillon, Harvey and Whitfield, Jessica (2016). Investigating the interaction between dichotic deficits and cognitive abilities using the dichotic digits difference test (DDdT) part 2. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 27 (06), 470-479. doi: 10.3766/jaaa.15085

Investigating the interaction between dichotic deficits and cognitive abilities using the dichotic digits difference test (DDdT) part 2

2016

Journal Article

The Dichotic Digits difference Test (DDdT): Development, normative data, and test–retest reliability studies part 1

Cameron, Sharon, Glyde, Helen, Dillon, Harvey, Whitfield, Jessica and Seymour, John (2016). The Dichotic Digits difference Test (DDdT): Development, normative data, and test–retest reliability studies part 1. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 27 (06), 458-469. doi: 10.3766/jaaa.15084

The Dichotic Digits difference Test (DDdT): Development, normative data, and test–retest reliability studies part 1

2015

Journal Article

Effect of audibility on spatial release from speech-on-speech masking

Glyde, Helen, Buchholz, Jorg M., Nielsen, Lillian, Best, Virginia, Dillon, Harvey, Cameron, Sharon and Hickson, Louise (2015). Effect of audibility on spatial release from speech-on-speech masking. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 138 (5), 3311-3319. doi: 10.1121/1.4934732

Effect of audibility on spatial release from speech-on-speech masking

Supervision

Availability

Dr Helen Gurteen is:
Available for supervision

Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Helen Gurteen's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au