Hearing disorders and ear diseases: seven million Italians suffer from them, 430 million in the world. “Prevention is essential”

Hearing is essential for hearing, understanding and communicating verbally and the ear is a very complex and delicate sense organ that needs protection. “Recent studies agree that the hearing impairment contributes to the deterioration of sociability, sensitivity, cognition and quality of life of the subjects – explains the Professor Stefano Berrettini president of the Italian Society of Audiology and Phoniatry (SIAF), and director of the Otorhinolaryngology Audiology and Phoniatry Unit of the University of Pisa —. For those reasons early identification and treatment they are essential to prevent global deterioration.

And the «claim» is centered precisely on prevention launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) on World Hearing Day which is celebrated every year on March 3: “Healthy hearing for everyone! Let’s make it come true. Primary health care is able to meet more than 60% of the needs for ear and hearing care services». As Professor Berrettini points out «recognizing the symptoms of deafness and ear problems early is essential to be able to intervene both on the possible causes and to minimize the resulting disability. In fact, over 60% of hearing problems can be identified and addressed at the primary care level and the integration between the specialist doctor (otorhinolaryngologist or audiologist) and primary care services can lead to undeniable direct benefits for the person». (Continue under the photograph)

The 2nd Hearing Awareness Day. The event is organized by the Italian Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SIOeChCF), in collaboration with the Italian Society of Audiology and Phoniatrics (SIAF), with the cooperation of 23 non-profit Associations of patients and relatives of hearing impaired subjects. On March 1, in Rome, 13 Medical-scientific societies and federations met in the Senate and signed the “Agreement for Ear and Hearing Health”a document divided into 10 points written to protect everyone’s hearing health: children, adults, the elderly (see the following tabs).