About 20% of adults in the US, 48 million Americans, report some degree of hearing loss.
- 46 million are hard of hearing and 2 million deaf.
- At age of 65, one out of three people has a hearing loss.
- 1 in 5 teenagers suffer from at least a slight hearing loss.
- About 2 to 3 out of every 1000 children in the U.S. are born deaf or hard-of-hearing.
- Approximately 26 million Americans between 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds.
- 60% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan come home with hearing loss and tinnitus; it is the #1 war wound.
Hearing Loss is a Major Health Issue
- It is the third most common physical condition after arthritis and heart disease.
- It can lead to depression and isolation.
- It is often confused with, or complicates, such conditions as dementia.
The Vast Majority of People with Hearing Loss are Hard-of-Hearing
- We prefer to remain in mainstream society and speak the language we were born with.
- We do not use sign language.
- We use hearing aids, cochlear implants, captioning and hearing assistive technology to help us hear and communicate.