Early Prevention & Detection
Hearing loss often goes unnoticed without screening, and adults typically wait up to 10 years to seek help. Early prevention is key, as untreated hearing loss affects rehabilitation, cognitive health, and overall well-being — leading to communication challenges, isolation, and daily difficulties.
Prevention Strategies
- Immunization: Vaccines against rubella and meningitis could prevent over 19% of childhood hearing loss cases worldwide (WHO, 2016).
- Noise Exposure Control: Promoting safe listening habits in recreational settings, using personal protective equipment, and reducing occupational noise exposure can help prevent hearing damage (WHO, 2021).
- Healthy Lifestyle: A balanced diet and regular health check-ups contribute to hearing health. Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke have also been shown to increase the risk of hearing loss (WHO, 2021).
- Ear Hygiene: Practicing good ear hygiene can prevent many common causes of hearing loss. This includes avoiding cotton swabs, not inserting objects or liquids into the ear, avoiding swimming or washing with dirty water, seeking prompt treatment for colds, ear pain, or hearing loss, and limiting long-term exposure to loud noise (WHO, 2021).
Early Detection Matters Across Lifetimes
According to the World Health Organization, early detection and intervention are cost-effective strategies that help prevent cognitive decline and social isolation. However, access to hearing care varies significantly across Europe, with notable disparities in newborn screening, treatment availability, and rehabilitation services. Addressing these gaps is essential to ensuring equitable hearing healthcare for all. Recognizing hearing loss as a major disability, the World Health Organization’s World Report on Hearing offers practical guidance to support fair and lifelong access to hearing care (WHO, 2021).
Infants
Newborn hearing screening
- 1 month old: screen
- 3 months old: diagnose
- 6 months old: intervene
Children
Hearing checks in pre-school and school
- In kindergarden
- Upon entry to school
- Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 7, Grade 11
Adults
Hearing screening in high-risk occupations
- Loud noise
- Ototoxic chemicals
- Ototoxic medicines
Older Adults
Regular hearing screening often based on symptomatic testing
- People over 50 every 5 years
- People over 65 every 1-3 years
Our Policy Objective
Early Prevention
Ensure effective strategies are put in place at the national level to ensure prevention and detection of hearing loss.
Our Policy Solution
Universal Hearing Screening
Call on the European Commission to develop guidelines on best practices to implement affordable, easily accessible national hearing screening programs across the life course, including older adults (aged +50).
Workplace Noise Protection
Call on Member States, on the basis of the Directive 2003/10/EC, to set minimum health and safety requirements regarding noise exposure in the workplace, and to provide updated trainings to employers and employees on the importance of hearing health at work.
Youth Hearing Safety
Call on Member States to implement WHO’s policy recommendations on safe listening, including personal audio devices, and to attain WHO’s global standard for safe listening in venues and events to prevent the rising incidence of hearing loss among young people.
Join our Efforts: Endorse the Policy Manifesto
We call on the European Commission to take action. By signing the Manifesto, you are supporting our efforts in advocating for a European Hearing Health Strategy!
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