The World Health Organization (WHO) has published the first world report on hearing on World Hearing Day which was observed on March 3, 2021. In the new report, the WHO has highlighted that, one in every four individuals across the world will be experiencing mild-to-profound hearing loss by 2050, which roughly accounts for 2.5 billion people across the world.
Key Findings of the report
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As per the report, at least 700 million people will be suffering from disabling hearing loss and they would require ear & hearing care.
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The report highlights that, billion young people in the age group 12–35 years are at risk of hearing loss because of noise pollution in recreational settings.
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It also states that, more than five per cent of the global population have disabling hearing loss which accounts for 432 million adults and 34 million children till date. However, only 17 per cent of them required hearing aid.
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WHO said, around 60 per cent of hearing loss in the children is because of preventable causes.
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It further observes that larger share of world population having deafness or hearing loss are living in the low-income and middle-income countries.
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The report states that, auditory disabilities are not taken seriously by people and there lies a knowledge gap between the prevention and treatment of such diseases among the medical professionals.
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However, the report suggests that, if the ear and hearing care is integrated in the primary healthcare systems of countries it can help in tackling the situation.
WHO’s Limit of disabling hearing loss
The world health Organisation defines the disabling hearing loss as there is a loss greater than the 40 decibels (dB) among the adults and loss more than 30 dB among the children.
Factors for the hearing loss
The healing loss report by WHO highlights several factors that causes healing loss. It includes exposure to excessive noise. Other factors that can cause hear loss include Genetic causes, ageing, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, complications at birth and use of any particular drugs.