Health Check Podcast: Communication harder for people with hearing loss during mask-wearing era

A mask vending machine at Bishan Community Club. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
Ear, nose and throat specialist Dr Ho Eu Chin appears in this episode of Health Check to discuss why communication is harder for people with hearing loss during this mask-wearing Covid-19 pandemic. PHOTO: CAROLINE CHUA

Health Check Ep 41: Communication harder for people with hearing loss during mask-wearing Covid-19 pandemic

15:23 mins

Synopsis: Fortnightly on Wednesdays, The Straits Times guides you to healthier living and clears up common misconceptions on health with expert guests.

ST's senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Dr Ho Eu Chin, a senior consultant from the department of Otorhinolaryngology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

He explains why mask-wearing during this Covid-19 pandemic has made communication harder for the hearing-impaired. This is worsened by the lack of facial cues.

1. More people are coming forward to seek medical advice and consider hearing aids (1:25)

2. Find out about latest links between hearing loss and dementia published in The Lancet (6:36)

3. Why wearing hearing aids only when you leave home, does not help you in the longer run (8:30)

4. When should you seek medical advice for suspected hearing loss? (11:20)

Produced by: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg) and Ernest Luis

Edited by: Adam Azlee

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