Hearing Health

Hearing health is a growing public health and ageing issue worldwide. According to the WHO World Report on Hearing, more than 1.5 billion people globally experience some degree of hearing loss – approximately one in five people – and this number is expected to rise significantly in the coming decades. The increase in hearing loss closely parallels global population ageing, with the number of people aged 60 years and older projected to double by 2050, and those aged 80 years and over expected to triple. Untreated hearing loss has wide-ranging consequences across the life course, particularly in later life. It can affect communication, social participation, cognitive health, employment, and overall wellbeing, while increasing the risk of isolation and reduced independence. Hearing health therefore sits at the intersection of ageing, health systems, inclusion, and equity, and plays an important role in supporting healthy ageing and functional ability.