Here's to sound action on global hearing health through public health approaches

What is it about?

A global pandemic, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a preventable public health problem which receives limited air time. Better hearing health is possible through targeted campaigns addressing root causes of non-occupational, recreational noise--positive associations with loud noise. By redefining social norms so that soft to moderate sounds are associated with positive values and loud sounds are negatively attributed, we will prevent leisure NIHL. This kind of campaign takes many years, requires resources and sophisticated understandings of behaviour change. Once successful, these win-win campaigns will improve hearing health and lower costs to individuals and the health care system. In the interim, individuals may carry hunter-grade earplugs, download decibel meter apps so that testing noise levels becomes habitual and hearing test apps to check hearing acuity. Institutions such as restaurants, may open quiet zones and post their decibel levels in a similar fashion to revealing calorie counts. Quiet discos, where dancers adjust their own volumes using headphones, offer another solution. City, provincial/territorial policies can implement and enforce policies for lower construction noise, and quieter music in recreational and exercise venues. We are working with the City of Vancouver to encourage quieter indoor/outdoor environments, propelling the city towards becoming the globe's greenest municipality.

Featured Image