Hearing loss Italy

Hearing loss Italy


13-11-08

Generation hearing loss
Italian doctors warn of a sharp increase in the number of people with hearing loss. They expect that by 2010, one Italian in three will be hearing impaired. Unless something is done about the ever increasing use of MP3s, iPods and other personal stereos, the prevalence of people with hearing loss will continue to increase. In Italy, experts expect that more than 30 percent of the population could become hearing impaired, as compared to the current prevalence of 12 percent.

Tougher regulations required
The bleak outlook was presented by an ear, nose and throat specialist at the University of Turin. The ENT specialist, Carlo Giordano, issued a warning against excessive consumption of music and the use of earpods, putting speakers directly in the ear.

"The consequences for the ears are disastrous, because the ears never have relief from the high noise levels,” he said.

Giordano urges stronger regulations to protect the Italians against excessive noise at home and in the workplace.

Hearing problems costs Italy an estimated 20 billion euros per year and the costs are increasing. In three years, the number of Italians with hearing loss will exceed the number of Italian senior citizens.

Similar problems in other industrialized nations
The bleak outlook applies to other industrialized nations, as well. Some projections estimate the number of hearing impaired people in the industrialized nations to exceed one billion by 2015. The cost to the health care systems, alone, will be as high as 60 billion euros, annually