Reasons for Omission of Hearing Loss Data in National Population Health Survey and Auditory Tests under Healthier SG for Early Intervention

27 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) why is hearing loss data omitted from the 2024 National Population Health Survey; (b) whether objective hearing assessments will be reintroduced into national surveys; and (c) whether there are plans to train healthcare professionals to recognise hearing loss as a systemic risk factor and include auditory tests in Healthier SG for early detection and intervention.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The National Population Health Survey (NPHS) focuses on monitoring key population health indicators on the prevalence of chronic diseases and lifestyle risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Data collection on self-reported hearing loss from the NPHS is conducted on a rotational basis. The latest available NPHS data on prevalence of self-reported hearing loss in residents is from 2023.

Today, healthcare professionals who encounter individuals with suspected hearing loss will conduct the necessary investigation and management, including specialist referrals as appropriate. Based on the Screening Test Review Committee (STRC) 2019 recommendations, screening for hearing loss via audiometry is currently recommended for high-risk groups, such as individuals with exposure to excessive noise, and there is no recommendation for population-level screening for hearing loss.

To support early detection of hearing issues among seniors, the Ministry of Health launched Project Silver Screen (PSS) in 2018, a nationwide community functional screening programme that screens seniors aged 60 and above in their vision, hearing and oral health. Seniors identified with abnormalities are referred to services like community hearing clinics for further checks and to obtain assistive devices like hearing aids where required.