World Hearing Day 2023: Ear and Hearing Care for Public Health Equity

Posted on: 1 March 2023 by Dr Dalia Tsimpida in March Posts 2023

To mark World Hearing Day, Dr Dalia Tsimpida, a Lecturer in Public Health and a proud member of the World Hearing Forum, highlights the importance of governments prioritising hearing health.

World Hearing Day 2023 is just around the corner, and the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are gearing up for another powerful year of advocacy and action. Celebrated annually on the 3rd March, World Hearing Day is a global event aimed at raising awareness of hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care. The 3rd March was chosen by the World Health Organization because 3.3 resembles the shape of both ears!

This year's theme is 'Integrating ear and hearing care within primary care' - an essential component of universal health coverage," highlighting the importance of making ear and hearing care accessible to everyone, everywhere.

I lead a new project titled 'Investigating socio-spatial hearing health inequality in Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System (ICS) to support evidence-based policy making.' The project is funded by Research England through the University’s Public Policy Quality-Related Funding 2022-5.

Hearing loss is the largest potentially modifiable risk factor for dementia, and understanding the severity of hearing loss at the population level is paramount for the health and well-being of the residents of Cheshire and Merseyside. I recently attended the Liverpool Dementia & Ageing Research Forum, where I delivered a presentation on  the link between hearing loss and dementia.

This project supports the key strategic aims and objectives of the Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership Strategy 2023-2028 in assessing the health needs of the population, developing a sustainable integrated health and care system, and reducing health inequalities. The project's importance is further highlighted by the fact that hearing capacity is at the core of the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) approach. Co-investigators Dr Roberta Piroddi, Dr Konstantinos Daras, Dr Gabriella Melis, and Professor Benjamin Barr bring important expertise to achieve the goals of the project.

On World Hearing Day 2023, people around the world join hands to raise awareness and promote a world in which no person experiences hearing loss due to preventable causes – and those with hearing loss can achieve their full potential through early identification in primary care, regardless of their location or socioeconomic position.

Join us on the 22nd March for a public engagement event that aims to unite the local community, health providers, researchers and policymakers. Don't miss this special opportunity to network, engage in fruitful discussions, and provide your input for an upcoming short film to raise awareness about the importance of ear and hearing care, as well as the need for action to address hearing loss and related issues. You can reserve your place on Eventbrite.