PERSPECTIVE article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Life-Course Epidemiology and Social Inequalities in Health
This article is part of the Research TopicAffirmative Policies and Actions for Equity in Health Towards Vulnerable GroupsView all 5 articles
Equitable Access to Cochlear Implants: A Perspective on Social Justice and International Obligations
Provisionally accepted
- 1Facultad de derecho, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- 2Laboratorio de Audiologia y Percepción Auditiva, Departamento de Tecnología Médica, Facultad de medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent sensory conditions worldwide, affecting over 1.5 billion people and is one of the main causes of disability. For individuals with severe to profound hearing loss, cochlear implants (CIs) are one of the most effective rehabilitation options as they can significantly improve speech comprehension, language development, quality of life and social inclusion. Despite their clinical value, however, access to CIs remains highly unequal between and within countries, with implantation rates disproportionately favouring wealthier nations and people with a higher socioeconomic status. Grounded in a human rights approach, this article develops a conceptual and policy-based reflection supported by a targeted review of scientific literature and international legal standards. From this standpoint, access to CIs must be recognised as an enforceable fundamental right. This recognition implies clear international obligations for states to translate their human rights commitments into tangible, inclusive national policies. Furthermore, this perspective emphasises the ethical responsibility to ensure the real accessibility, affordability and adaptability of cochlear implants, overcoming barriers related to socioeconomic disparities, geography, race and systemic inequalities. This perspective article highlights the urgent need for comprehensive public policies based on international human rights law to ensure equitable access to cochlear implants, advocating a rights-based approach as a necessary strategy to achieve social justice, dignity and full social participation for people with hearing disabilities.
Keywords: Cochlear Implants, Hearing Loss, Health inequities, Human Rights, Health Policy
Received: 25 Jul 2025; Accepted: 17 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Suazo-Díaz, Aedo-Sanchez, Cuéllar-Muñoz and Aguilar-Vidal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Enzo Aguilar-Vidal, eaguilar@uchile.cl
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