Ageing Futures Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW;
Ageing Futures Institute, UNSW, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW.
Public Health Res Pract. 2021 Dec 2;31(5):3152125. doi: 10.17061/phrp3152125.
Hearing loss is one of the most common long-term health conditions associated with ageing, and a considerable contributor to Australia's late-life disability burden. Acquired hearing loss in adulthood presents significant challenges for the social, physical, mental and cognitive health of many Australians. These wide-ranging individual and societal impacts have been highlighted by a number of high-profile national inquiries into Australia's hearing health during the past decade. Yet hearing loss remains poorly recognised and is undertreated in many communities. In this perspective article we argue that effective public health measures such as limiting occupational and recreational exposure to hazardous noise and ototoxic chemicals, promoting hearing health behaviours, early detection, improved access to hearing health services, and urban design, are all critical to mitigating these adverse outcomes. We also make the case for updated epidemiological data about hearing loss among older Australians.
听力损失是与衰老相关的最常见的长期健康问题之一，也是导致澳大利亚晚年残疾负担的重要因素。成年人获得性听力损失给许多澳大利亚人的社会、身体、精神和认知健康带来了重大挑战。在过去十年中，澳大利亚对听力健康进行了多次引人注目的全国性调查，这些调查突出了这些广泛的个人和社会影响。然而，在许多社区，听力损失仍然未被充分认识，也未得到充分治疗。在这篇观点文章中，我们认为，有效的公共卫生措施，如限制职业和娱乐性接触有害噪声和耳毒性化学品、促进听力健康行为、早期发现、改善听力健康服务的可及性以及城市设计，对于减轻这些不利后果都至关重要。我们还主张更新关于澳大利亚老年人听力损失的流行病学数据。
