In 2012, WHO released new estimates on the magnitude of disabling hearing loss. The estimates are based on a review of 42 population-based studies carried out up to 2010. Based on these, the estimates are as follows:
- There are 360 million persons in the world with disabling hearing loss (5.3% of the world’s population).
- 328 million (91%)of these are adults (183 million males, 145 million females)
- 32 (9%) million of these are children.
- The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in children is greatest in South Asia, Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa
- Approximately one-third of persons over 65 years are affected by disabling hearing loss.
- The prevalence of disabling hearing loss in adults over 65 years is highest in South Asia, Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For a short PowerPoint presentation that provides further information on these estimates, please follow this link.