Social and economic burden

Hearing impairment can impose a heavy social and economic burden on individuals, families, and communities. For developing countries, the cost of special education and lost employment due to hearing impairment can burden the economy.

Hearing Loss is often referred to as the invisible disability. Hearing impairment often isolates a person from other people, their family, and their community, especially when communication and language is limited.

Hearing impairment in children may delay or hinder the development of language and cognitive skills, which may impede progress in school. In adults, hearing impairment often makes it difficult to obtain jobs. Hearing impaired children and adults are often stigmatized and marginalized, segregating these people from mainstream society. Without support and services that help hearing impaired persons, education and work opportunities remain limited.

The poor suffer from hearing impairment because they may not have access to hearing health services or health care that could preventive or treat hearing loss. Hearing aids cost more money than low income persons can afford. More than ¾ of the world’s population of hearing impaired reside in developing countries, where hearing technology and hearing health services are limited.