NEW YORK, NEW YORK – The Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC), a leading nonprofit hearing health care center in New York that provides comprehensive services to people of all ages who are hard of hearing, deaf or deafblind, today celebrates the 26th Annual International Noise Awareness Day (INAD).
Established by CHC in 1996, INAD aims to raise awareness around the harmful effects of noise on hearing, health and quality of life. Since its inception, INAD has grown to include participants from around the globe including renowned organizations like the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, New York University and the International Commission for Acoustics. Countries represented include Panama, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, India, Serbia, Greece, United Kingdom, Spain, Nigeria and the Netherlands, just to name a few.
Through the creation of local community activities, webinars and other advocacy events, INAD participants will educate millions on the dangers of noise, inspire the adoption of safe listening habits, and spark legislative change to reduce noise and create quiet spaces in our cities. To commemorate the day, the Center for Hearing and Communication will release a series of videos featuring leading noise experts from around the globe discussing the dangers of noise, safe listening practices, and the role of sound in our lives.
CHC’s INAD Videos:
Topic: World Health Organization on Making Listening Safe
Interviewer: Laurie Hanin, Executive Director of CHC
Interviewee: Shelly Chadha, Medical Officer, World Health Organization
Link: https://youtu.be/-AUvFooul_Y
Topic: CDC on the Impact of Noise on Hearing in Non-Occupational Settings
Interviewer: Ellen Lafargue, CHC Audiology Director
Interviewee: John Eichwald, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control
Link: https://youtu.be/CrtX4Z61LT4
Topic: Noise and Its Impact on Quality of Life
Interviewer: Arline Bronzaft, Author, GrowNYC Board Member
Interviewee: Val Weedon MBE, Journalist, Author, UK Noise Association
Link: https://youtu.be/OKpMZICkEUk
Topic: Role of Sound in Our Lives
Interviewer: Nancy Nadler, Deputy Executive Director of CHC, Co-Founder of INAD Interviewees: Michael Taroudaskis and Marion Burgess of the International Commission for Acoustics
Link: https://youtu.be/1B1iMEywasY
Why do we care so much about unwanted noise? Laurie Hanin, Executive Director of CHC, explains, “It’s a well-established fact that in the short term, noise causes stress, and stress is hazardous to our health. In the long term, noise causes hearing loss—and hearing loss itself is detrimental to our health and well being.”
“As the Founder of International Noise Awareness Day, it is a privilege for CHC to be able to bring together the leading authorities on noise, health and hearing loss in a forum that will educate consumers today and for years to come. INAD is not only about protecting your hearing—it is about protecting your health. A growing body of research links hearing loss with social isolation, depression, an increased risk of falls, and even the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias. We are grateful to be able to raise awareness on such an important topic on this global stage.”
—Nancy Nadler, Deputy Executive Director of CHC, Co-Founder of INAD
To participate in INAD with your community visit https://noiseawareness.org/.
About CHC
Founded in 1910, CHC is a historic pillar of support, offering high-quality, comprehensive services to empower people affected by hearing loss, deafness or listening challenges. Through a unique blend of comprehensive and clinically outstanding onsite and virtual services, and community outreach programs, CHC impacts the quality of life for 50,000 infants, children, and adults annually. CHC offers the highest caliber of services to individuals and families coping with the challenges of hearing loss, regardless of ability to pay. Learn more at www.CHChearing.org.