Hearing loss currently affects more than 10 million people in the UK. It is estimated that by 2031, 14.5 million people will have hearing loss. ​

 

It is estimated that by 2031, 14.5 million people in the UK will have hearing loss. This is a potential public health crisis, yet has been ignored. Hearing loss has high personal and social costs, and it is an expensive and neglected topic. Hearing loss is a public health issue and people experiencing hearing loss have significant clinical and social needs. There is a failure in wider society to respond to communication needs of people with hearing loss. £1.34 million has been spent on research about hearing loss compared to £49.71 million spent on research on cardiovascular conditions for every person affected.

 

Hearing loss has significant personal and social costs. The barriers deaf families encounter include discriminatory health and social support services and limited access to information. Those barriers not only erect restrictions to participation in the normal life of the community, but also place limits on women’s psycho-emotional wellbeing. This being a significant draw back to the research since the ‘Saving Mother’s Lives‘ report (CMACE, 2011) has again identified the links between social exclusion and vulnerability and adverse pregnancy outcomes.