She has ten years of experience in fitting hearing aids. Former director of the Chilean Society of Audiology and Otoneurology of Medical Technologists (SOCHIAUDIO), technical advisor to FONASA.
Currently works as an audiology lecturer at the Faculty of Medical Technology at O’Higgins University and is also the executive director of the private hearing centre Audifonos Salvador.
Currently works as an audiology lecturer at the Faculty of Medical Technology at O’Higgins University and is also the executive director of the private hearing centre Audifonos Salvador.
The Republic of Chile is a country in southwestern South America, occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. The country was founded in 1818. According to estimates for 2024, Chile ranks 67th in the world in terms of population (18,664,652 people). Along with Uruguay, Costa Rica and Panama, the country is considered one of the most democratic, safe and wealthy in Latin America. As of 2023, it has the highest life expectancy among Latin American countries — 81.17 years (36th in the world).
As far as medicine is concerned, healthcare in Chile operates on a mixed system, combining both public and private provision of medical services. The same can be said about assistance for people with ear diseases and hearing impairments.
What is the difference between hearing aids in public and private clinics, how to become an audiologist, why subsidised hearing aids are not popular among Chileans — these and other interesting facts are covered in the traditional column "The Lives of Others. All About Hearing." Professor of audiology Karem San-Martin Oyanedel, Ranquagua, Chile, answers questions from SurdoInfo magazine.
What is the difference between hearing aids in public and private clinics, how to become an audiologist, why subsidised hearing aids are not popular among Chileans — these and other interesting facts are covered in the traditional column "The Lives of Others. All About Hearing." Professor of audiology Karem San-Martin Oyanedel, Ranquagua, Chile, answers questions from SurdoInfo magazine.
— How many people with hearing impairments are there in your country, how many of them are adults, how many are children?
— Unfortunately, Chile does not have accurate official data on the number of people with varying degrees of hearing loss. However, there is information from various studies. According to national literature, the prevalence of bilateral neonatal hearing loss in Chile ranges from 0.6 to 1.4 per 1,000 live births.
As for the child population, data from hearing screening conducted by JUNAEB (a government agency under the Ministry of Education) in 2019 among schoolchildren aged 4−6 show that of the 51,472 children examined, 50% were referred to an ENT specialist, and 3% required therapeutic support for varying degrees of hearing loss.
Among adults, according to the 2016−2017 National Health Survey, the prevalence of hearing loss was:
As for the child population, data from hearing screening conducted by JUNAEB (a government agency under the Ministry of Education) in 2019 among schoolchildren aged 4−6 show that of the 51,472 children examined, 50% were referred to an ENT specialist, and 3% required therapeutic support for varying degrees of hearing loss.
Among adults, according to the 2016−2017 National Health Survey, the prevalence of hearing loss was:
- 17,8% ⤋
among people
aged 15–24 - 16,2% ⤋
among people
aged 25–44 - 23,4% ⤋
among people
aged 45–64 - 45,1% ⤋
among people
aged 65 and older
Finally, the RAHL (Rapid Assessment of Hearing Loss) study conducted in Santiago among people over 50 years of age showed that the prevalence of hearing loss of any degree is 41%, and it increases significantly with age:
- 25.5% among people aged 50 to 59;
- 76.8% among people over 80 years of age.
— What is the overall situation with hearing aids in Chile? What is the average number of hearing centres currently operating in the country?
Chile has a public hearing aid network organised at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of the healthcare system. There are primary care otorhinolaryngology departments (UAPORRINO) as well as specialised services in hospitals that provide diagnosis, treatment and hearing rehabilitation. At the same time, there are many private centres specialising in hearing aid fitting.
Although there is no official data on the total number of hearing centres in the country, one of the main tasks is to expand coverage and reduce waiting times, especially in rural and remote areas.
Although there is no official data on the total number of hearing centres in the country, one of the main tasks is to expand coverage and reduce waiting times, especially in rural and remote areas.
— How many practising audiologists are there in Chile? Where is this speciality taught, and who can obtain it and how?
— In Chile, audiologists practise in two specialities: medical technologists specialising in otorhinolaryngology (as in my case) and speech therapists with postgraduate training in audiology.
Currently, there are:
This corresponds to a ratio of approximately 3.2 audiologists per 100,000 inhabitants.
Four universities offer training to become a medical technologist specialising in otorhinolaryngology, and more than 20 higher education institutions offer training to become a speech therapist.
Currently, there are:
- 363 medical technologists specialising in otorhinolaryngology;
- 189 speech therapists with postgraduate training in audiology.
This corresponds to a ratio of approximately 3.2 audiologists per 100,000 inhabitants.
Four universities offer training to become a medical technologist specialising in otorhinolaryngology, and more than 20 higher education institutions offer training to become a speech therapist.
— Are there any programmes in Chile that allow people to obtain hearing aids at a discount? Which categories of citizens are eligible for these programmes?
— Yes, since 2006, with the introduction of the GES health programme, Chile has been offering state assistance to various population groups:
- GES 56: sensorineural hearing loss in people over 65;
- GES 59: sensorineural hearing loss in premature babies;
- GES 77: moderate sensorineural hearing loss in children under 4 years of age;
- Ricarte Soto Law: finances expensive treatments not covered by GES guarantees, such as certain ear surgeries.
— How effective is universal hearing screening for newborns and infants in your country, how long has it been in place, and are there any data on its results?
— In Chile, there is currently no comprehensive national data on universal hearing screening. However, a study by Bravo R. et al. (2017) conducted at Padre Hurtado Hospital assessed the quality indicators of neonatal hearing screening at this centre:
Other challenges include a shortage of audiologists and speech therapists, the need to expand early diagnosis programmes across the country, and improving the coverage and effectiveness of public health programmes in the field of hearing health.
- 98.4% of newborns were screened;
- referral rate: 0.6%;
- prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss: 0.56 per 1,000 live births.
Other challenges include a shortage of audiologists and speech therapists, the need to expand early diagnosis programmes across the country, and improving the coverage and effectiveness of public health programmes in the field of hearing health.
— What diagnostic methods are used to test hearing in children and adults in your country?
— All internationally available hearing testing methods are available in Chile for both children and adults. The main problem is unequal access to these services, especially in rural areas where specialised medical care is less accessible.
— How would you assess the population's need for hearing aid services? Is the demand for hearing aids growing? Are there any statistics on sales and the number of patients over the last few years (3–5 years)?
— Demand has grown significantly, especially due to the ageing population. 45.1% of adults over 65 have some degree of hearing loss.
However, only 53% of users choose hearing aids provided by the state system. To improve this indicator, group rehabilitation programmes such as the ACE programme are being implemented.
In the private sector, there is no official data on hearing aid sales in recent years.
However, only 53% of users choose hearing aids provided by the state system. To improve this indicator, group rehabilitation programmes such as the ACE programme are being implemented.
In the private sector, there is no official data on hearing aid sales in recent years.
— In your opinion, what are the problems in the field of audiology and hearing prosthetics in Chile, and what are they related to?
— The main problems are:
- a shortage of specialists in remote regions;
- long waiting times in the public system;
- low motivation to use hearing aids, especially in the public health sector;
- lack of information and awareness about hearing health among the population;
- the need to strengthen interdisciplinary training in audiology;
- the lack of updated national statistics on ear and hearing disorders.
— Have the conditions for doing business in the hearing aid sector changed recently in your country? Which countries have the most effective partnerships?
— Yes, the private sector is experiencing significant growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises and independent centres offering hearing aid fitting and audiological diagnostics.
There are important strategic partnerships with European manufacturers, especially from Germany and Denmark, who provide technology, training and high-quality devices.
There are important strategic partnerships with European manufacturers, especially from Germany and Denmark, who provide technology, training and high-quality devices.
— In your opinion, what will be in demand in the hearing aid sector in the coming years, and what should hearing aid manufacturers focus on to be successful in this field?
— Since Chile’s public system interacts with the private sector through tenders for GES guarantees, there is a high level of competition among hearing centres. This forces companies to develop technological solutions that improve speech processing in noisy environments, are affordable, and provide broader connectivity with mobile devices such as smartphones.