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September is Deaf Awareness Month
Deafness and Hearing Loss
Over 5% of the world’s population, or 430 million people, require rehabilitation to address their disabling hearing loss (including 34 million children). It is estimated that by 2050, over 700 million people – or 1 in every 10 people – will have disabling hearing loss.
Disabling hearing loss refers to hearing loss greater than 35 decibels (dB) in the better hearing ear. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age. Among those older than 60 years, over 25% are affected by disabling hearing loss.
A person who is not able to hear as well as someone with normal hearing – hearing thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears – is said to have hearing loss. Hearing loss may be mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe or profound. It can affect one ear or both ears and leads to difficulty in hearing conversational speech or loud sounds.
Hard of hearing refers to people with hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. People who are hard of hearing usually communicate through spoken language and can benefit from hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other assistive devices as well as captioning.
Deaf people mostly have profound hearing loss, which implies very little or no hearing. They can benefit from cochlear implants. Some of them use sign language for communication.
Although these factors can be encountered at different periods across the life span, individuals are most susceptible to their effects during critical periods in life:
Prenatal period
- Genetic factors, including hereditary and non-hereditary hearing loss
- Intrauterine infections, such as rubella and cytomegalovirus infection
Perinatal period
- Birth asphyxia (a lack of oxygen at the time of birth)
- Hyperbilirubinemia (severe jaundice in the neonatal period)
Childhood and adolescence
- Chronic ear infections (chronic suppurative otitis media)
- Meningitis and other infections
Adulthood and older age
- Chronic diseases
- Smoking
- Otosclerosis
When unaddressed, hearing loss impacts many aspects of life at the individual level, such as:
- Limitations in communication and speech
- Adversely affected cognition
- Social isolation, loneliness, and stigma
Prevention of hearing loss is essential throughout the life course, from prenatal and perinatal periods to older age. In children, nearly 60% of hearing loss is due to avoidable causes that can be prevented through the implementation of public health measures.
For information about hearing loss and deafness, visit here.
