PAHO invited this interactive webinar to raise awareness about hearing loss often called the invisible disability not just because of the lack of visible symptoms, but because it has been stigmatized in communities and ignored by policymakers (WHO 2021).
Specialists from PAHO and WHO discussed the challenges faced by hearing-impaired adolescents. The main risk factors that are correlated to hearing loss are those related to the behavior of adolescents, including listening to loud music and using lawn and power tools with no hearing protection A group of young people will also present their experiences during the webinar.
Recent findings reveal that not only teenage hearing loss is on the rise, but also reveal that teens are aware of the risks, yet still choose not to protect their hearing. It is estimated that 1 in 5 teenagers exhibit at least a slight hearing loss, this increase is due in large part to the ever-present earbuds or headphones attached to smartphones and portable music players, that cause a frequent exposure to loud, high-intensity leisure noise which ultimately affects the hearing threshold (Rhee, et al. 2019).
When: Thursday, May 5, 2022 / 10:00 am (Eastern Time / US and Canada)
To contribute to the call from WHO to bring together health authorities and policymakers to prevent hearing loss from early stages due to sustained exposure to excess noise, by developing a standard for safe listening.
- Addressing the rising prevalence of Hearing loss throughout the life course
- Implications of hearing health in adolescent’s life course
- Global standards for safe listening and EarWHO app – WHO
- Tutorial of Application and its user experience in social media (PAHO Youth for Health Group)
- Experiences from Musicians
- Dra. Chitra Chander, WHO
- Dra. Shelly Chadha, WHO
- Dra. Sonja Caffe, PAHO
- Dra. Carolina Hommes, PAHO
- Brenda Cadena, PAHO
- Dr. Oscar San Román, PAHO