This Day in History: 2026-03-03

International Day of Ear and Hearing
This day is dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging ear and hearing care. Attention is drawn to noise losses caused by noise, especially the use of headphones and smartphones, but also to exposure to loud music at parties, cafes and nightclubs. Such recreational hearing loss can lead to more serious consequences for an individual’s health. One of the most common sensory impairments in humans is hearing impairment. According to World Health Organization estimates, people with hearing impairments make up more than 10% of the world’s population. In Croatia, data on persons with hearing impairments are recorded within the Croatian Register of Persons with Disabilities, which registers data for 13,463 persons with severe forms of hearing impairment, deafness and severe deafness, which lead to disability. According to the Croatian Register of Persons with Disabilities Act, hearing impairments are divided into deafness and hard of hearing. Deafness is considered to be hearing loss at speech frequencies (500 to 4000 Hz) greater than 81 decibels, while hard of hearing is hearing impairment of 25 to 80 decibels. The aim of marking this day is to attract the attention of state authorities, local and regional self-government units as well as the public about the importance of maintaining normal hearing, but also raising awareness of the problems and needs of people with impaired hearing.