The World Health Organization (WHO) has annually set aside March 3rd as World Hearing Day.
“Check Your Hearing” is the theme for World Hearing Day 2019, emphasizing the importance of early identification and intervention as the first step in addressing the issue of hearing loss. In many people, hearing loss can go undetected, as they don’t realize they are missing out hearing certain sounds and words.
The WHO website has a variety of information, including hearWHO, a mobile and web-based app designed to give the public access to a hearing screener to check their hearing status.
The ATA joins the WHO in observing World Hearing Day, as hearing loss is commonly accompanied by tinnitus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 15 percent of the general public—over 50 million Americans—experience some form of tinnitus. Roughly 20 million people struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus, while 2 million have extreme and debilitating cases.
