Nearly 466 million people worldwide are estimated to be living with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO also predicts this number to climb to 900 million by 2050.
To raise awareness about global hearing loss and the importance of hearing health care, the WHO has designated March 3 as World Hearing Day.
"Hearing loss is a complex condition and has a variety of causes - exposure to hazardous noise, genetic conditions, or complication of other diseases such as measles and mumps," said Dr. Theresa Schulz, prevention division chief for the Department of Defense Hearing Center of Excellence, a division within the Defense Health Agency's Research and Development Directorate.
Noise-induced hearing loss from hazardous noise is the most common cause of hearing injury for veterans, as reported in the annual Department of Veterans Affairs' Veterans Benefits Administration compensation report. In 2019, there were 2.17 million disability compensation recipients for tinnitus (ringing, buzzing and other sounds in the ears or head) and 1.3 million compensation recipients for hearing loss. However, overall hearing health for active-duty service members is steadily improving, according to a recently released DOD report, "Hearing Health Surveillance Data Review, Military Hearing Conservation - Calendar Year 2019," which shows hearing impaired service members fell from 18% in 2013 to 14% in 2019.
Schulz explained that the current decrease in hearing loss is the result of several ongoing DOD initiatives, along with substantial hearing conservation programs managed by each service component.
"Several initiatives have been underway for a number of years to combat hearing loss and improve hearing health care for service members and veterans," said Schulz."
One of these initiatives is a joint service and center project to develop a Hearing Protection Device Evaluated Products List of protective devices that are tested using the latest standards set by the American National Standards Institute. The list was developed to help solve the dual but competing needs of delivering hearing protection while also maintaining a service member's situational awareness.
"This resource can help service members and their supervisors select products that meet their hearing protection and operational needs," Schulz explained.
According to Schulz, the use of individual fit-check systems is also being advanced as a more precise way to verify the level of protection a device is giving to an individual, and ensure service members properly wear and use their issued hearing protection. "Proper fit is especially important as weapon systems become increasingly more powerful and hazardous," added Schulz.