Hear the World Foundation supports WHO’s educational work

“Make Listening Safe” – This is the slogan at the heart of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global campaign to raise awareness of recreational noise-induced hearing loss. The campaign focuses on teenagers and young adults who put their hearing at risk through exposure to noise. According to current WHO figures, around 1.1 billion young people worldwide are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. In middle and high-income countries, 50 percent* are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices and 40 percent* are exposed to potentially damaging sound levels at clubs and bars.

Sonova's Hear the World Foundation has supported the campaign since it launched on  International Ear Care Day (March 3, 2015). Hear the World Foundation was represented at the campaign's launch in Geneva. Elena Torresani, Sonova's Head of the Hear the World initiative, joined representatives of other participating organisations in a panel discussion about the Foundation's educational work. The one-minute spot, which was premiered at the launch event, uses impressive animation and photographs of celebrity ambassadors to highlight the importance of making listening safe. In order to reach as many people as possible, the Hear the World Foundation has posted the spot to social networks and online media. A notable success: within its first week of posting to YouTube, the video clocked up 10,000 hits.

Elena Torresani summarizes: "We must use every chance we have to prevent hearing loss. That is why the Hear the World Foundation supports education about hearing and hearing loss, thereby contributing to hearing loss prevention and helping people understand the issues. To this end, we are committed to supporting the WHO's educational work."

The following tips on protecting one’s hearing against noise-induced hearing loss are part of the campaign message:

• Do not turn music up too loud: noise levels below 85 dB are considered safe for our hearing. If you listen to music through audio devices, do not turn it up any louder than 60 percent of the maximum volume.
• Listen to music through headphones that fit well and block out background noise, as this will enable you to enjoy music at a low volume even in noisy surroundings.
• Wear earplugs at concerts and clubs and in other noisy environments. They can reduce the noise level by 5 to 45 dB. 
• Use smartphone apps to measure the level of background noise.
• Keeping at a sufficient distance from the source of the noise helps to prevent hearing damage.
• To give your ears a rest, make a conscious effort to take acoustic breaks and turn off all noise sources.
• Have your hearing regularly checked by a hearing care professional.

Related information

• Hear the World Foundation press release: Make Listening Safe