An analysis of the inclusion of ear and hearing care in national health policies, strategies and plans

Abstract

Ear and hearing-related conditions pose a significant global health burden, yet public health policy surrounding ear and hearing care (EHC) in low- and middle-income countries is poorly understood. The present study aims to characterize the inclusion of EHC in national health policy by analyzing National Health Policies, Strategies, and Plans in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic. Three ear and hearing care keywords were searched, including ear*, hear*, and deaf*. The terms “HIV/AIDS,” “tuberculosis,” and “malaria” were included as comparison keywords as these conditions have historically garnered political priority in global health. Of the 194 World Health Organization member states, there were 100 national policies that met inclusion criteria of document availability, searchable format, language, and absence of an associated national EHC strategy. These documents mentioned EHC keywords significantly less than comparison terms, with mention of hearing in 15 documents, ears in 11 documents, and deafness in 3 documents. There was mention of HIV/AIDS in 92 documents, tuberculosis in 88 documents, and malaria in 70 documents. Documents in low- and middle-income countries included significantly fewer mentions of EHC terms than those of high-income countries. We conclude that ear and hearing conditions pose a significant burden of disease but are severely underrepresented in national health policy, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Ten years of ear, nose and throat (ENT) services in Southern Africa: a scoping review

“…ENT disease screening, management and rehabilitation services were largely unavailable [ 5 , 5 , 6 , 8–10 , 17 , 30 , 32–36 ]. Ear and hearing conditions were severely underrepresented in national health policy in Southern Africa [ 35 ], with several studies documenting the disparities in the practice of audiology, scarce testing facilities, and inadequate resources for hearing screening across different regions and healthcare sectors [ 10 , 32 , 33 ]. Universal newborn hearing screening services, adult rehabilitation services, and follow-up care for hearing were limited in Southern Africa [ 5 , 9 , 32 ].…”

“…The scarcity of ENT disease screening, management, and rehabilitation services for ENT diseases calls for the prioritization of ENT initiatives in national health policy [ 35 ]. Healthcare providers must advocate for the establishment of universal newborn hearing screening programs and expanding adult rehabilitation services to meet the United Nations’ third Sustainable Development Goal (good health and well-being for all ages) [ 48 ].…”