According to the World report on hearing (2021), an increasing number of people are living with and at risk of developing hearing loss. The report highlighted noise control as a critical intervention and the importance of alleviating exposure to loud sounds.
In celebrating World Hearing Day 2022, this year's theme of the World Health Organization, "To hear for life, listen with care", focuses on the importance of safe listening to maintain good hearing across the life course. The Department of Disability Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, organized a series of activities to celebrate the event, one of which is a webinar on protecting hearing from loud noise exposure.
The resource persons of the webinar are Prof. David Welch, an associate professor in Audiology, University of Aukland, New Zealand and Ms Eranthi Liyawaduwa, a doctoral candidate in Audiology, University of Aukland and lecturer at Department of Disability Studies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. They share the evidence-based methods that promote safe listening and how to prevent common causes of hearing loss, including hearing loss associated with recreational sound exposure.