Overview
The World Hearing Day is held on 3 March each year aims to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote safe listening. The World Hearing Day 2022 is focused on the importance of safe listening as a means of maintaining good hearing across the life course. The theme for 2022 is “To hear for life, listen with care” will focus on the importance and means of hearing loss prevention through safe listening.
Facts & key messages
- More than 5% of the global population lives with hearing loss. The majority of these people live in low- and middle-income countries.
- Many causes of hearing loss, including noise-induced hearing loss, are avoidable. Among children (aged 0–14 years), as much as 60% of hearing loss is attributed to preventable causes.
- Nearly 50% of teenagers and young adults (12–35 years of age) – i.e., 1.1 billion young people– are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds, through listening to music on smartphones and audio players, or at music gigs and clubs.
- It is estimated that by 2050 this number could increase by over 50% to 700 million.
- It is possible to have good hearing across the life course through ear and hearing care
- Many common causes of hearing loss can be prevented, including hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds
- ‘Safe listening’ can mitigate the risk of hearing loss associated with recreational sound exposure
- WHO calls upon governments, industry partners and civil society to raise awareness for and implement evidence-based standards that promote safe listening.
Unsafe listening
Unsafe listening refers to the common practices of listening to music or other audio content at loud levels or for prolonged time periods. Sensory cells in the ears can start to become damaged by prolonged exposure to loud sounds. Listening to sounds at 80 dB for 40 hours a week is the limit of safe listening.
How can hearing be protected?
- Keeping the volume down.
- Limiting time spent engaged in noisy activities
- Monitoring listening levels.
- Protecting ears from loud sounds.
- Heeding the warning signs of hearing loss.
- Regular hearing checks are recommended – especially for those listening to music regularly or visiting loud entertainment venues.
Recommended readings
- 1 in 4 people projected to have hearing problems by 2050
- World Hearing Day 2021: Hearing Care for ALL! Screen, Rehabilitate, Communicate
- World Hearing Day 2020! Hearing for life: don’t let hearing loss limit you
- World Hearing Day 2019: Check your hearing!
- hearWHO-Check your hearing… An app to check your hearing!
- International days, weeks and years of Public Health Concern
Source of info: World Health Organization.
#safelistening #worldhearingday #hearingcare
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- Progress of Health & Population Sector 2023-2034 NJAR Report 2023-24
- TDR’s Implementation Science Leadership Fellowship Programme for Public Health Impact (University of Ghana)
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- National Guidance for Coordination Among Humanitarian Health Partners
