Assistive Listening Knowledge Base
  • Guidance (public health fact sheet)

Deafness and hearing loss

From https://assistivelisteningknowledgebase.org/evidence/who-2026-hearing-loss/ · record checked 13 October 2026

  • World Health Organization

Government (World Health Organization, a United Nations agency)

Summary

Global hearing-loss estimates and definitions, including the strong relationship between age and disabling hearing loss.

Key findings

  • WHO estimates that over 5% of the world population, or 430 million people, require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss.
  • Defines disabling hearing loss as greater than 35 dB in the better hearing ear; over 25% of people older than 60 are affected.
  • Distinguishes hearing loss generally, relative to thresholds of 20 dB or better in both ears, from the narrower disabling-hearing-loss category.
  • Lists hearing aids, implants and hearing assistive technology among rehabilitation options, alongside communication training and services.

Limits

A global fact sheet synthesising estimates, without a survey sample size or detailed estimation method on this page. It does not measure venue attendance, benefit from a particular venue system or receiver demand. The disabling-loss threshold omits milder and some unilateral losses.

Read the original

www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss

Link checked . We link to the original and do not host copies.

Cited in

Cite this source

World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. 3 March 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (accessed 13 October 2026).

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