World Report on Hearing (WRH)

The WRH, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2021,  was developed in collaboration with experts and stakeholders in the field of ear and hearing care who informed the report’s strategic direction and ensured that it reflects a range of cultural contexts and approaches to hearing care. The report is global in its reach while keeping a special focus on low- and middle-income countries, where the number of people with hearing loss is not matched by the availability of services and resources.
Based on the best available evidence, this report presents epidemiological and financial data on hearing loss; outlines available cost-effective solutions
and sets the way forward through ‘Integrated people-centered ear and hearing care’ (IPC-EHC).
The report proposes a set of key H.E.A.R.I.N.G. interventions that must be delivered through a strengthened health system to realize the vision of IPC-EHC.

Aim

The WRH aims to provide evidence-based guidance to drive actions for integration of quality EHC services into national health plans of Member States, as part of their work towards universal health coverage.

Key messages

The tagline for the dissemination of the WRH is Hearing Care for All, which encompasses the following key messages:

  • The number of people living with unaddressed hearing loss and ear diseases is unacceptable.
  • Timely action is needed to prevent and address hearing loss across the life course.
  • Investing in cost effective interventions will benefit people with hearing loss and bring financial gains to the society.
  • Countries must integrate people-centered ear and hearing care (IPC-EHC) within national health plans for universal health coverage

Structure

The World report on Hearing is structured in four sections

1. Why hearing matters: hearing across the life-course                                   Page 9
2. Solutions for everyone: hearing loss can be prevented and addressed       Page 65
3. Facing the challenges: improving access to ear and hearing care               Page 139
4. The vision of ear and hearing care: designing the way forward                    Page 201

Contents

This prodigious and comprehensive report runs to over 250 pages and can be down loaded

It has a series of recommendations, each with lists of action points,  the headline ones being:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MINISTRIES OF HEALTH       Page 245

RECOMMENDATION 1: INCLUDE IPC-EHC IN UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

RECOMMENDATION 2: STRENGTHEN HEALTH SYSTEMS TO DELIVER IPC-EHC AT ALL LEVELS OF CARE

RECOMMENDATION 3: UNDERTAKE AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS THAT ADDRESS ATTITUDES TOWARDS, AND STIGMA RELATED TO, EAR DISEASES AND HEARING LOSS

RECOMMENDATION 4: DETERMINE TARGETS, MONITOR NATIONAL TRENDS,AND EVALUATE PROGRESS

RECOMMENDATION 5: PROMOTE HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH ON EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS     Page 247

RECOMMENDATION 1: ALIGN WITH WHO’S GLOBAL TARGETS FOR EAR AND HEARING CARE, AND SUPPORT THEIR MONITORING

RECOMMENDATION 2: TAKE STEPS TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES WITH RESPECT TO EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATION 3: STIMULATE GENERATION AND DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE ON EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATION 4: PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN GLOBAL ACTION FOR EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL GROUPS, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES     Page 249

RECOMMENDATION 1: SUPPORT NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND WHO IN THE PROVISION AND MONITORING OF EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATION 2: CONTRIBUTE TO THE GENERATION OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS OF EAR DISEASES AND HEARING LOSS

RECOMMENDATION 3: COLLABORATE TO ENSURE THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO, AND SHARE A COMMON VISION OF, EAR AND HEARING CARE

RECOMMENDATION 4: HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE, NEED, AND MEANS FOR EAR AND HEARING CARE, AND ADVOCATE FOR ITS PRIORITIZATION IN GOVERNMENT HEALTH AGENDAS