TL;DR
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The International Hearing Society is using October’s National Protect Your Hearing Month to promote noise-induced hearing loss prevention and annual hearing evaluations. The society points to World Health Organization projections that nearly 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss by 2050; that figure is a projection, not a current count.
The International Hearing Society (IHS) is using October’s National Protect Your Hearing Month to urge people to protect their hearing from damaging noise and have it evaluated regularly. The campaign draws attention to noise-induced hearing loss and cites World Health Organization projections that nearly 2.5 billion people could have some degree of hearing loss by 2050.
IHS president Michael Andreozzi, identified by the society as BS, BC-HIS, recommends that people treat hearing health with the same regular attention they give vision. In a statement cited by The Hearing Review, Andreozzi said the society suggests an evaluation once a year. The recommendation is IHS guidance; the source report does not describe it as a universal clinical standard or specify that the same schedule is appropriate for everyone.
IHS also encourages people to establish a hearing baseline with a qualified hearing healthcare provider. The society says baseline evaluations can help providers identify changes over time and respond to them. It directs consumers to the provider locator at ihsinfo.org to find hearing aid specialists and other hearing healthcare professionals.
The campaign focuses in part on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), which IHS describes as largely preventable. Its message is aimed both at the public and hearing healthcare professionals, whom the society sees as able to discuss protection strategies and routine assessments with patients. The source report does not provide detailed noise exposure limits or a specific list of protective measures.
Why Routine Hearing Checks Matter
The campaign gives consumers a prompt to pay attention to hearing health before they notice a problem. A baseline evaluation may give a provider a reference point for later assessments, while regular attention can help people raise changes or concerns with a qualified professional. IHS’s call is especially relevant to people who encounter loud sound, although the source does not set out individual risk categories or a tailored testing schedule.
The scale of the issue cited by IHS adds a public-health dimension. The WHO projection for 2050 indicates that hearing loss and rehabilitation needs are expected to affect many people worldwide. The figures are forecasts, however, and should not be confused with the society’s separate estimate that 1.5 billion people currently live with some level of hearing loss.
The practical takeaway is limited but clear: IHS is encouraging preventive attention and professional evaluation, not claiming that annual testing can prevent every form of hearing loss. Its campaign also brings hearing specialists into a broader public conversation about noise exposure and hearing care.
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The October Awareness Campaign
National Protect Your Hearing Month is the occasion for IHS’s October public education effort. The society says it works alongside the World Health Organization to raise awareness of noise-induced hearing loss and hearing protection. The report frames this as an awareness campaign rather than a new law, clinical guideline or change to healthcare policy.
IHS was founded in 1951 and is a membership association representing hearing healthcare professionals worldwide, including hearing aid specialists. According to the source report, these professionals may conduct hearing assessments, select and fit hearing instruments, counsel patients and provide aftercare. The society’s provider locator is intended to help consumers connect with practitioners.
The WHO figures cited in the report provide the campaign’s population-level context: 1.5 billion people currently live with some degree of hearing loss, while nearly 2.5 billion are projected to do so by 2050. The WHO also projects that more than 700 million people will need rehabilitation by then. These numbers describe different measures and timeframes; the source provides no additional breakdown by age, cause or region.
“Hearing is one of those senses that everybody needs to pay close attention to — no different than your eyes and vision.”
— Michael Andreozzi, IHS president
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What the Recommendation Does Not Specify
The source report does not explain whether annual evaluations are intended for every person or whether frequency should vary according to age, symptoms, noise exposure or medical history. It also does not cite evidence comparing annual assessments with other schedules. Readers should treat the interval as IHS’s recommendation, not as a documented universal requirement.
The report gives broad WHO estimates but does not provide the underlying publication date, methodology or regional details. It also does not set out specific exposure thresholds or explain which protective measures the campaign recommends. No new policy, screening program or funding commitment is reported.
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Finding a Hearing Care Provider
IHS is directing people interested in an evaluation to its provider locator at ihsinfo.org. The source report does not announce a later campaign event, deadline or follow-up data release. People considering an assessment can use the locator to identify a hearing healthcare professional and discuss what evaluation schedule may suit their circumstances.
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Key Questions
What is IHS promoting during National Protect Your Hearing Month?
IHS is promoting hearing protection, awareness of noise-induced hearing loss and routine hearing evaluations, including the society’s recommendation to have hearing evaluated once a year.
Is an annual hearing evaluation a universal medical requirement?
The source reports it as an IHS recommendation. It does not establish that annual testing is a universal requirement or that the same schedule applies to everyone. A qualified hearing healthcare provider can discuss an appropriate assessment schedule.
How many people are projected to have hearing loss by 2050?
The World Health Organization projection cited in the report says nearly 2.5 billion people could have some degree of hearing loss by 2050. The WHO also projects that more than 700 million will need rehabilitation.
Where can people look for a hearing healthcare provider?
IHS directs consumers to its provider locator at ihsinfo.org, which can connect them with hearing aid specialists and other hearing healthcare professionals.
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