THE BURDEN OF HEARING LOSS
The reality of hearing loss is common yet often forgotten sensory disability. It is termed a “silent disability”, not just because of the silence it brings but also because, by the time symptoms appear, significant hearing loss has already occurred.
It is currently estimated that over 5% of the world’s population suffers from some degree of hearing loss. This burden is projected to increase, with 1 in 4 adults expected to have disabling hearing loss by 2050 (WHO Fact Sheet). The importance of this sense is best described through the words of those who have experienced its loss.
Helen Keller, famously known for saying, “Blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us from people.” Hearing loss has been found to have a profound impact in the development of speech and language, this hindering education and employability of the individual eventually leading to social isolation and high rates of depression and cognitive decline.
RISK AND PREVENTION
- Maternal pregnancy-related factors (such as infections and medications).
- Prematurity.
- NICU admission.
- Certain congenital conditions.
- Childhood infections (like meningitis and malaria).
- Ear infections.
- Ototoxicity from medications and chemicals.
- Non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, and stroke).
- Occupational or recreational noise exposure.
One of the most concerning risk factors is recreational noise exposure, especially from entertainment and lifestyle changes, such as smoking and prolonged use of personal listening devices and gaming systems, as well as noise from entertainment and sporting venues like clubs and gyms. According to the WHO (Fact Sheet on Hearing Loss, 2020), 1 in 2 young people (aged 12 to 35) are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from personal listening devices like
smartphones and MP3 players.
On the bright side, 60% of hearing loss is preventable through public health interventions that focus on early identification and timely care. Thanks to advancements in technology, hearing services are now more accessible than
ever. You can even conduct a hearing screening in the comfort of your home using your smartphone. One clinically validated hearing screening app is the hear WHO app by WHO, available for free on the Play Store and Google Play.
ADVANCING HEARING CARE AT KUTRRH
At KUTRRH we have a newly established Ear, Hearing, and Balance specialized clinic with a dedicated team which runs every Monday starting at 8:00 a.m. In this clinic, we offer services including treatment of ear infections, hearing loss, balance and vestibular conditions, tinnitus, and vestibular rehabilitation. This is complemented by our Audiology Clinic, which provides a variety of hearing screening tests.
Our department is also involved in collaborative hearing screening initiatives with the Ministry of Health. One such initiative is the Building a World of Play project, a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and various partners aimed at promoting early screening and timely intervention for children with
disabilities using a play-based approach. Children with deafness have a 30– 40% chance of having an additional
disability, and children with neurodiversity conditions such as autism are twice as likely to have hearing loss.