Los Angeles — For the second year, international hearing health representatives from multiple disciplines conferred and reached a consensus about global hearing health care concerns at the 2nd Coalition for Global Hearing Health Conference.

This year, the conference was hosted by the House Research Institute in Los Angeles in early September. Despite differences in disciplines, the international group found many more common challenges than differences involved with humanitarian hearing health initiatives.

A keynote address was delivered by Shelly Chadha, MD, from Sound Hearing 2030, India. Participating conference members worked through an ambitious agenda to further define the goals, as well as define specific actions for the Coalition to implement.

Some of the specific actionable strategies that were discussed included advocacy and media, education in underserved regions, empowering families and communities, harnessing technology, and ensuring best practices.

The Coalition for Global Hearing Health was envisioned to provide an opportunity for otolaryngologists, audiologists, deaf educators, speech pathologist, deaf and hard of hearing individuals and families to work together to raise awareness of important issues relative to hearing health in the developing world.

Conference co-organizers James E. Saunders, MD, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical, and Jackie L. Clark, PhD, University of Texas at Dallas, have long established roots in the international arena as Humanitarian Committee Chairs within their professional organizations (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head And Neck Surgery Foundation and the International Society of Audiology, respectively.)

To access the recorded lectures at the conference, Coalition updates, and information about the 2013 conference, visit the Coalition for Global Hearing Health website at www.cfghh.squarespace.com

SOURCE: Coalition for Global Hearing Health Conference