This year observance will highlight the importance of integrating ear and hearing care within primary care, as an essential component of universal health coverage. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #worldhearingday, #hearingcare, #3March.
With this theme, the communication objectives are to:
- Draw attention of decision makers in governments and civil society groups towards the WHO’s recommendations regarding integration of ear and hearing care into PHC. - Encourage governments to integrate primary ear and hearing care into training programmes for health care providers at primary level. - Call attention of primary level health care providers (health workers and physicians) towards the needs of people with hearing loss and ear disease. - Inform people about the importance of ear and hearing care and encourage them to seek services.
Key messages
Ear and hearing problems are among the most common problems encountered in the community.
Over 60% of these can be identified and addressed at the primary level of care.
Integration of ear and hearing care into primary care services is possible through training and capacity building at this level.
Such integration will benefit people and help countries move towards the goal of universal health coverage.
EVENTS: As part of activities promoting World Hearing Day, the World Hearing Forum (WHF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH) invite proposals for WHF-CGHH Small Grants for World Hearing Day 2023. On this day, WHO will launch a new training manual - Primary ear and hearing care training manual. The manual will be accompanied with trainer’s handbook and other community resources.
Over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 years risk losing their hearing due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud music and other recreational sounds. This can have devastating consequences for their physical and mental health, education, and employment prospects.
Ahead of World Hearing Day 2022, under the theme To hear for life, listen with care! WHO has issued a new international standard for safe listening at venues and events. The standard applies to places and activities where amplified music is played.
“Millions of teenagers and young people are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices and exposure to damaging sound levels at venues such as nightclubs, bars, concerts and sporting events,” said Dr Bente Mikkelsen, WHO Director for the Department for Noncommunicable Diseases.
She added: “The risk is intensified as most audio devices, venues and events do not provide safe listening options and contribute to the risk of hearing loss. The new WHO standard aims to better safeguard young people as they enjoy their leisure activities.”
New recommendations to limit risk of hearing loss
The Global standard for safe listening at venues and events highlights six recommendations for implementation to ensure that venues and events limit the risk of hearing loss to their patrons while preserving high-quality sound and an enjoyable listening experience. The six recommendations are:
(1) a maximum average sound level of 100 decibels
(2) live monitoring and recording of sound levels using calibrated equipment by designated staff
(3) optimizing venue acoustics and sound systems to ensure enjoyable sound quality and safe listening
(4) making personal hearing protection available to audiences including instructions on use
(5) access to quiet zones for people to rest their ears and decrease the risk of hearing damage; and
(6) provision of training and information to staff.
The new standard was developed under WHO’s Make Listening Safe initiative which seeks to improve listening practices especially among young people, drawing on the latest evidence and consultations with a range of stakeholders including experts from WHO, government, industry, consumers, and civil society.
Hearing loss due to loud sounds is permanent but preventable
Exposure to loud sounds causes temporary hearing loss or tinnitus. But prolonged or repeated exposure can lead to permanent hearing damage, resulting in irreversible hearing loss. Young people can better protect their hearing by: - keeping the volume down on personal audio devices - using well-fitted, and if possible, noise-cancelling earphones/headphones - wearing earplugs at noisy venues - getting regular hearing check-ups
Advocating for the new global standard
WHO encourages governments to develop and enforce legislation for safe listening and raise awareness of the risks of hearing loss. The private sector should include WHO’s recommendations for safe listening features in their products, venues, and events. To motivate behaviour change, civil society organizations, parents, teachers, and physicians can educate young people to practice safe listening habits.
“Governments, civil society and private sector entities such as manufacturers of personal audio devices, sound systems, and video gaming equipment as well as owners and managers of entertainment venues and events have an important role to play in advocating for the new global standard,” said Dr Ren Minghui, WHO Assistant Director-General. “We must work together to promote safe listening practices, especially among young people.”
Note to editors
In addition to the new global standard released today, other key technical documents include the Be Healthy, Be Mobile. A handbook on mSafeListening and Media brief on #safelistening.
In 2019, WHO launched the global standard for safe listening personal audio devices and systems. This standard is currently being implemented in some commonly marketed products where it provides users with the option to monitor and moderate their listening behaviour including sound levels and exposure time
WHO: 1 in 4 people projected to have hearing problems by 2050
The report, launched ahead of World Hearing Day, 3 March, underlines the need to rapidly step up efforts, Note to Editors World HearingDay 2021 Launch of the World Report on Hearing
