Severe hearing loss as a disability: How to ensure equal access to optimal treatment

Abstract: With 25% of people experiencing disabling hearing loss by the age of 70, Europe cannot afford to ignore what this would mean for its ageing population. Untreated hearing loss could result in an annual cost of 213 billion euros to Europe's economies. In addition to depriving an individual of a sense, hearing loss adversely affects the mental health, cognitive functioning, mortality and employment of an individual, while also being linked with comorbidities such as stroke, diabetes and dementia. Although cochlea… Show more