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On the World Hearing Day,Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare  released WHO’s World Report on Hearing

Study

• The study showed that the disabling hearing loss affected 2.9% of the population and was noted to effect communication, education and work.
• The rural population had a far greater prevalence of hearing loss.The prevalence of total hearing loss, unilateral &bilateral was found to be as high as 9.93%.
• The geriatric population accounted for 40.5% of all hearing loss and 72.4% of all disabling hearing loss.
• The study also made a major contribution in identifying the risk factors associated with Sensory Neural Hearing Loss (SNHL): Smokeless Tobacco consumption, Heavy smoking, Leisure and work-related noise, and also excessive Residential Noise, are all noted as risk factors associated with SNHL. 

Recommendations of the report

• By improving services at community and primary levels through training of health workers for task sharing, in line with the strategies outlined in the report.
• Expanding access to affordable hearing technologies for all those in need.
• Using the power of Information Technology (IT) to raise awareness among our youth on safe listening as a means of hearing loss prevention.

Source: PIB