some hearing difficulties.
Who Has Hearing Loss
Hearing problems are extremely common. Worldwide, estimates suggest at least one out of 10 people suffers from some kind of hearing loss. While most surveys are conducted in Europe and North America, researchers suspect hearing loss is even greater in developing countries due to the large numbers of untreated ear infections.
Around the globe, at least 250 million people have disabling hearing problems (moderate-or-worse hearing loss). Many more are thought to have mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
With aging of the world’s population, numbers are growing rapidly. Roughly half of all people over age 65 have some hearing loss. However, since many people do not want to be identified as having hearing problems, accurate numbers are hard to gather.
In the United States, it is thought that roughly 15% of the adult population has some hearing difficulties. Men are more likely to have hearing loss than women. Among adults, hearing problems tend to cause:
- Isolation, less social activity, less contact and support from family and friends
- Emotional difficulties, low self esteem, sadness, and depression
- Problems getting and keeping a job
Among children in the U.S. (under 18 years old), 5% have some degree of hearing loss. Nearly 1 in 5 of those children has what is termed “educationally significant hearing loss.” Among children, hearing problems tend to cause:
- Problems with speech development, language, and thinking skills (especially if severe hearing loss occurs at birth or before speech and language is acquired)
- Emotional difficulties and low self-esteem
- Learning and behavior problems in school
For people who have their hearing loss treated (with either hearing aids or cochlear implants), some of the benefits include:
- Better relationships with their family and friends
- Better feelings about themselves and higher self-esteem
- Improved mental health, greater self-confidence, independence, and security
