Hearing loss currently affects more than 31 million Americans, and is the most prevalent disability in the world. Hearing loss strikes regardless of age, race or gender, and without proper treatment and support, hearing loss can be devastating to individuals and families.
Think you know about hearing loss? Below are some statistics that you may find surprising.
- According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 12,000 children are born with hearing loss each year.
- By the year 2030, it is estimated that 78 million Americans will have some degree of hearing loss.
- By age 55, 25% of people will have some degree of hearing loss, and nearly 90% of people over the age of 80 have hearing loss.
- Individuals with hearing loss have a higher incidence of unemployment, depression, anxiety disorders and stress-related illnesses.
- Hearing loss often develops very slowly over time and as a result many people don’t recognize that they have a hearing loss until it is already severe and significantly impacting their day-to-day life.
- As of 2005, approximately 100,000 people worldwide have received cochlear implants.
Age-related and noise-induced hearing loss generally affects one’s ability to hear higher frequencies. The higher speech frequencies are responsible for helping us to understand words clearly.
- An IPod or MP3 music player turned more than half way up can create dangerous volume levels that can result in permanent hearing loss over time.
- Unidentified hearing loss can often be mistaken as Attention-Deficit Disorder, behavioral problems, rudeness, inattentiveness or dementia.
- 90% of infants who are born deaf are born to hearing parents.
- Of those people who could significantly benefit from hearing aids, less than 25% actually have them.
To learn more about hearing loss, visit the links below:
• Hearing Loss Resources– Main Page
• Articles about Hearing Loss – Main Page
• Hearing/Hearing Loss FAQs – Main Page
• Financial Assistance Resources
• Scholarship Resources
• Helpful Links
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