Deaf Service Center

Here we have compiled a dossier of facts and figures concerning deafness and hearing loss which you may find helpful.

• About 500 million people throughout the world suffer from some kind of hearing loss.
• 1 in 10 people suffer from hearing loss to the degree that they would benefit from using a hearing aid.
• It is estimated that 6.5% of the total working population suffer from hearing loss.
• A recent survey showed that the percentage of people with hearing loss that actually used a hearing aid is declining .
• Studies have shown that in places of work where ear plugs should be worn a large number of people do not wear them.
• Recent research proved that 13% of the Danish population have some form of hearing loss.
• When fitted with a hearing aid most people reported a big improvement in their hearing.
• Only 1 in 8 people who need a hearing test will go for one.
• A German study concluded that 70% of people wearing a digital hearing aid said their everyday life had improved drastically.
• At least 1.4 million of those suffering from hearing loss are under the age of 18 years.
• People who are in industrial jobs are twice as likely to suffer from a problem with hearing loss later in life than those in office jobs.
• It is estimated that by 2015 there will be well over 700 million hearing impaired people throughout the world.
• A study has shown that 10% of all English adults have experienced spontaneous tinnitus at some time in their life.
• A third of the population who are older than 70 have significant problems due to tinnitus.
• Severe to profound hearing loss is thought to cost society on average $300,000 over the lifetime per person.
• Surveys reveal that the number one main factor in hearing loss is caused by noise levels.
• Anyone can be affected by tinnitus but it can be helped.
• Most TV stations still only have captioning and subtitles on a limited basis.
• By the end of 2008 50% of all programmes on French TV will have subtitles.
• A minimum of half of all programmes shown in Norway will have subtitles or closed caption by the end of 2005.
• In the UK the smaller TV channels such as BBC3 and 4 provide subtitles for about half their programmes.
• The major cause of hearng loss is due to ageing.
• Our hearing will gradually get worse from the age of 40 onwards.
• About half of all cases of hearing loss in children is associated with a gene mutation.
• If left untreated hearing loss can lead to social and physiological problems.