HEARING CARE FOR ALL

▫ S C R E E N I N G ▫ R E H A B I L I TAT I O N ▫ C O M M U N I C AT E
TODAY, PEOPLE BY 2050, PEOPLE ARE

1 5 1 4
WORLDWIDE PROJECTED TO
83% OF THOSE IN NEED OF HEARING
IN LIVE WITH IN H AV E
AIDS DO NOT USE ONE
HEARING PROBLEMS WITH
LOSS THEIR HEARING

H E A R I N G L O S S I S D E F I N E D A S B E I N G PA R T I A L LY O R C O M P L E T E LY U N A B L E T O H E A R S O U N D S I N O N E O R
5 9 % O F T H E D I S A B I L I T Y AT T R I B U T E D T O BOTH YEARS
HEARING LOSS COULD BE REDUCED IF
EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN NEED USES A
CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS - DUE TO SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS - DUE TO
HEARING DEVICE
ANY DISEASE PROCESS WHICH ANY DEFECT IN THE IN A EAR OR IN THE
INTERFERES WITH THE CONDUCTION OF PAT H W AY S O F C O N D U C T I O N O F N E R V E
AT E V E R Y S TA G E I N L I F E , H E A R I N G L O S S C A N B E IMPULSES TO THE BRAIN
SOUND TO REACH THE COCHLEA
ADDRESSED THROUGH

S Y S T E M AT I C S C R E E N I N G T O I D E N T I F Y H E A R I N G
H E A R I N G L O S S - C A U S AT I V E F A C T O R S
L O S S E A R LY I N

GENETIC A G E R E L AT E D
EXPOSURE TO NOISE/
NEWBORN BABIES AND FA C T O R S SENSORINEURAL
LOUD SOUNDS
I N FA N T S D E G E N E R AT I O N

NUTRITIONAL
MENINGITIS AND
PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL-AGE DEFICIENCIES
OTOSCLEROSIS OTHER
CHILDREN
INFECTIONS

PEOPLE EXPOSED TO NOISE OR

OTITIS MEDIA LOW BIRTH WEIGHT
C H E M I C A L S AT W O R K

BIRTH OTOTOXIC MEDICINES

PEOPLE RECEIVING OTOTOXIC ASPHYXIA
MEDICINE

WORK-
R E L AT E D
HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA
OTOTOXIC
CHEMICALS
O L D E R A D U LT S
TRAUMA TO
THE HEAD OR SMOKING
EAR

T I M E LY A N D A P P R O P R I AT E C A R E C A N B E P R O V I D E D
THROUGH EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS
Universal access to quality ear and hearing care is possible through

Hearing assistive Rehabilitative

technology therapy

Hearing Ear disease Greater Hearing aids and

Access to Rehabilitation Improved Noise Captioning
screening prevention community implant
technologies services communication reduction services
and and engagement
intervention management Sign
language
K E Y R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S To ensure universal access to quality ear and hearing care
COCHLEAR access Medicines and
IMPLANTS surgery
DEVELOP EVIDENCE-BASED POLICIES

P R O V I D E W O R K F O R C E E D U C AT I O N A N D T R A I N I N G A C O C H L E A R I M P L A N T I S A S U R G I C A L LY FIVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF

I M P L A N T E D D E V I C E T H AT W O R K S B Y HEARING AID
P R O M O T E TA S K - S H A R I N G A C R O S S W O R K F O R C E A N D T E L E H E A LT H S E R V I C E S TRANSDUCING ACOUSTIC ENERGY INTO AN
ELECTRICAL SIGNAL, WHICH IS USED TO YOUR HEARING AID ARE AS
M O N I T O R E A R A N D H E A R I N G C A R E I N D I C AT O R S T H R O U G H N AT I O N A L H E A LT H S T I M U L AT E A U D I T O R Y N E R V E F I B R E S INDIVIDUAL AS YOU ARE
I N F O R M AT I O N S Y S T E M S
D I R E C T S T I M U L AT I O N O F T H E A U D I T O R Y
INCLUDE HEARING TECHNOLOGIES AS ESSENTIAL ASSISTIVE PRODUCTS
N E R V E B Y PA S S E S T H E D A M A G E D O R A B S E N T
P R I O R I T I S E I M PA C T- O R I E N T E D R E S E A R C H COCHLEAR HAIR CELLS, MAKING THEM A
A P P R O A C H E S T O R E H A B I L I TAT I O N S U I TA B L E F O R M O F I N T E R V E N T I O N F O R
S M A R T P H O N E A P P L I C AT I O N S D E V E L O P E D INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WITH A SEVERE TO PROFOUND
BY WHO SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS

BENEFITS OF HEARING I M PA C T O F P R E V E N T I V E S T R AT E G I E S F O R H E A R I N G L O S S
R E H A B I L I TAT I O N UNADDRESSED ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE
HEARING LOSS
THE SENSE OF HEARING IS A
KEY ASPECT OF FUNCTIONING P R E N ATA L A N D
HIGHER RISK
AT A L L S TA G E S O F L I F E - I T S P E R I N ATA L
OF INJURIES I M M U N I S AT I O N
L A W S , U N L E S S A P P R O P R I A T E LY PERIOD
A D D R E S S E D , I M PA C T S S O C I E T Y
AS A WHOLE
• The hearWHO app is based on validated digits-in-noise
SOCIAL GENETIC
technology. I S O L AT I O N
LOWER COSTS COUNSELLING
• It gives the general public access to a free, validated
hearing screener to check their hearing status and to R E L AT E D T O
monitor it over time. DEPRESSION AND
• The easy-to-use app clearly displays the user’s results and COGNITIVE DECLINE
UNEMPLOYMENT M AT E R N A L A N D
keeps a personalised tracked record of their hearing status
over time. A N I N T E G R AT E D N E O N ATA L C A R E
• The hearWHOpro version can be used by health workers to SOCIETY
screen people in the community for hearing loss and refer ACADEMIC
them for diagnostic testing if they fail the screening. G R E AT E R UNDER CHILDHOOD
E M P L O YA B I L I T Y ACHIEVEMENT OTITIS MEDIA-
AND
AND EARNING E A R LY
ADOLESCENCE
WHICH BENEFIT I D E N T I F I C AT I O N
HEARING LOSS IS
THE ECONOMY A N D T R E AT M E N T
P R E V E N TA B L E

INCREASED ACCESS C O M M U N I C AT I O N
T O E D U C AT I O N PROBLEMS I M M U N I S AT I O N
IN CHILDREN
IN CHILDREN 16 % OF HEARING LOSS CAN
BE PREVENTED
C O M P O N E N T S O F A N D O C C U PAT I O N A L
H E A R I N G C O N S E R V AT I V E P R O G R A M M E
A D U LT H O O D NOISE
O V E R 1 M I L L I O N Y O U N G A D U LT S A R E AT R I S K O F
CONTROL IN
P E R M A N E N T, A V O I D A B L E H E A R I N G L O S S
E N T E R TA I N M E N
HEARING SURVEILLANCE T VENUES
ACROSS LIFE, GOOD EAR HYGIENE WILL PREVENT MANY CAUSES
OF HEARING LOSS
SAFE LISTENING
PRACTISES IN
CARE FOR YOUR EAR USE OF HEARING R E C R E AT I O N A L
PROTECTORS SETTINGS
DON’T listen to very loud
noises or music for long ENGINEERING AND
periods as this can cause A D M I N I S T R AT I V E C O N T R O L S OTOTOXICITY
hearing loss. FOR THE REDUCTION OF PREVENTION
NOISE LEVELS AND
DON’T put anything in the ear. No cotton buds, EXPOSURE
clips, toothpicks, sticks
ACROSS THE
E D U C AT I O N
LIFE COURSE O C C U PAT I O N A L
DON’T treat any ear conditions with hot
NOISE
or cold oil, herbal or home remedies.
CONTROL

DON’T ignore an ear that has any

NOISE MONITORING
pus or uid coming out of it.

DON’T swim or wash in dirty water

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