Hearing health education in primary schools: parental perspectives and evidence from a school-based hearing screening study

Introduction Hearing loss in childhood represents an important public health challenge as can significantly affect overall development, leading to long-term educational and communication difficulties. Hearing health education remains insufficiently integrated into school-based health programs. Raising awareness of both children and parents is important for fostering appropriate ear care, healthy listening habits, and identifying hearing problems at an early stage.Aim This study aimed to assess parental perspectives on school-based hearing health education to identify unmet needs in hearing health promotion and early prevention strategies.Methods This study was conducted among 204 parents of children aged 6–9 years attending a rural primary school in the Mazovian region of Poland. Parents answered a structured, self-administered questionnaire evaluating attitudes toward hearing health education while their children underwent a school-based hearing screening (pure tone audiometry from 0.5 to 8 kHz).Results Although most parents (63%) reported that their child received general health education at school, only 24% indicated it included hearing-related content. A large majority (72%) supported mandatory health education, and 73% identified hearing as the most important sense for communication. Parents generally considered that school-based hearing education should cover practical topics, including ear hygiene, safe use of headphones, and noise protection. Hearing screening identified signs of potential hearing problems in 13% of children.Conclusions Parents recognized hearing as essential for child development and supported integrating hearing health education into school programs. The findings suggest that limited school-based hearing health education may represent a barrier to hearing health literacy and early intervention.