Situation and Control of Early Hearing Loss among Below Poverty Line People in Southern India

Abstract

Introduction: Hearing loss is a common problem caused by noise, aging, disease, and heredity. Hearing is a complex sense involving both the ear’s ability to detect sounds and brain’s ability to interpret those sounds, including the sounds of speech. The National Sample Survey (NSS) 58th round (2002) surveyed disability both in the urban and rural household and found that hearing disability was the second most common cause of disability after locomotor disability. It has been noted by WHO that half the causes of deafness are preventable and about 30%, through not preventable, are treatable or can be managed with assistive devices. Aim and Objective: Few studies in the India have used pure-tone audiometer to derive hearing loss estimates. In this paper, BPL patients who attended District Disability and Rehabilitation center (DDRC), BLDE Hospital & Research centre in Vijaypura, Karnataka, were examined to assess the hearing loss prevalence & related determinants by using pure-tone audiometer. Material and method: Data were collected from 128 BPL patients attended to BLDE Hospital & Research Centre. Primary information was obtained; clinical ENT examination was done by pure-tone audiometer. Results and conclusion: In this study overall preponderance in male was more than for females. For deaf patients, early diagnosis & treatment is most important. Early management of ear diseases can reduce the Deafness. Health education, improvement of socio-economic status & health facilities will be helpful in reducing the prevalence of deafness.