One in five Spaniards admits to not being able to hear well. More than half of the population admits to never having their hearing tested. A Spanish prevention campaign is based on these alarming statistics.

A nationwide survey has revealed that 60% of the Spanish population admits to not looking after their hearing, and one in five say that they do not hear well. Simultaneously, the concern amongst specialists about the general state of hearing health is growing. An increase has been detected in the rate of hearing disorders, and these are appearing in increasingly younger patients, Spanish specialists report.

The prevention campaign was launched seven years ago and is called “Don’t Forget Your Ears”. As a new part of the campaign, street marketing has been added. The aim of this is to see sounds as a gift in a “sensorial market”, and to distribute advice as to how to prevent hearing loss. This technique aims to be persuasive by informing people as to what presbyacusis, an age-related hearing loss, can mean for them.

Other research found that the preferred sound for Spaniards is that of the sea, followed by music and finally rain. In response to the question of what sensations touched their lives, the answers were again the sound of the sea, followed by the voice of a loved one.

Source: Audio Infos, La revista de los audiprotesistas, 6/2011