Damon Mcknight
According to the National Health Survey conducted in 2021, approximately 33.2% of Australians aged 65 and older experience complete or partial deafness. Overall, complete or partial deafness affects one in ten Australians, with one in six suffering from hearing loss. This number is expected to rise to one in four by 2050, due to an ageing population and an increasing number of people being exposed to dangerously loud noises. The deaf community in Australia forms a distinct subculture, with members valuing participation in organisational networks. Auslan, the primary sign language used by the deaf community in Australia, was recognised as a language in the 2021 Census, with an estimated 16,245 people responding that they use it at home.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australians with complete or partial deafness | One in 10 Australians (2021 data) or 14% of Australians have at least one long-term hearing disorder |
| Australians with hearing loss who use hearing aids | One in five |
| Australians with hearing loss who are working age (16-64 years) | Nearly half |
| Australians aged 50 and above with hearing loss | One in three |
| Australians aged 60 and above with hearing loss | One in two |
| Australians aged 65 and above with complete or partial deafness | 33.2% |
| Australians who use Auslan at home | 16,245 (2021 data) |
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What You'll Learn
One in ten Australians have complete or partial deafness
According to the Victorian Law Reform Commission, one in ten Australians has complete or partial deafness. This means that around 10% of the Australian population experiences some form of hearing loss, which can range from mild to severe. This proportion is expected to increase over time as the population ages and more people are exposed to dangerous levels of noise.
Hearing loss is a significant issue in Australia, with approximately 3.55 million Australians affected as of 2005. It is estimated that by 2050, one in four Australians will suffer from hearing loss. The condition affects people of all ages, with around 3% of children aged 0-14 and up to 49% of people aged 75 and over experiencing long-term hearing disorders. The impact of hearing loss is also felt economically, with an estimated cost of $11.75 billion annually in lost productivity and other impacts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines deafness as "profound hearing loss, which implies very little or no hearing." People with profound hearing loss often rely on sign language for communication. In Australia, the peak organization for the Auslan-using deaf community is Deaf Australia. They have been advocating for better representation and access to services for the deaf community, which comprises a distinct subculture within the country.
To address the needs of Australians with hearing loss, various community-based service providers offer resources and support. These organizations include Expression Australia, Deaf Services, The Deaf Society, and Deaf Can:Do. Additionally, there is a growing recognition of Auslan as a legitimate language, with an estimated 16,245 people reporting its use at home in the 2021 Census. This marks a significant step forward in the advocacy and inclusion of the deaf community in Australia.
It is worth noting that while hearing loss can be a natural consequence of ageing or genetics, one-third of cases are acquired through preventable means. Proper prevention measures, such as protecting against dangerously loud noises and treating ear infections, could potentially reduce the occurrence of hearing loss. Additionally, while hearing aids can be beneficial, only one in five Australians who could benefit from them actually use them. This highlights the importance of both prevention and accessible treatment options in addressing hearing loss in Australia.
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Hearing loss costs Australia $11.75 billion annually
Hearing loss is the second most common health condition in Australia, affecting one in six Australians. This number is expected to rise to one in four by 2050 due to an ageing population and an increasing number of people being exposed to dangerously loud noises. In addition, the World Health Organisation reports that 50% of childhood hearing loss incidents in Australia are preventable, compared to 75% worldwide.
Hearing loss in Australia costs $11.75 billion annually in lost productivity, or 1.4% of the nation's GDP. People with untreated hearing loss earn an average of $10,000 less than those without and are 25% less likely to earn a high income. They are also significantly more likely to be unemployed, underemployed, or retire early.
The social impacts of hearing loss are equally concerning. Hearing impairment limits social engagement, increasing the risks of depression and anxiety, and threatening the support networks required for healthy ageing. Researchers have also found that untreated hearing loss can lead to poor health in general. Elderly individuals with hearing impairment have higher rates of falls and hospitalisations, while social isolation can create a cascade of issues that negatively impact health.
The financial cost of hearing loss in Australia was estimated to be $15.9 billion in 2017, with an additional $17.4 billion in lost wellbeing. Lost wellbeing, therefore, represents 52% of the total costs attributed to hearing loss.
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Auslan was recognised as a language in the 2021 Census
Complete or partial deafness affects one in ten Australians, with 14% of the population suffering from at least one long-term hearing disorder. The proportion of people with long-term hearing disorders increases with age, from 3% of children aged 0-14 to 49% of people aged 75 and over. The Australian deaf community has a rich and interesting linguistic and cultural heritage, and Auslan is Australia's main sign language.
Auslan, an abbreviation of Australian Sign Language, is the sign language used by the majority of the Australian deaf community. It is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), with all three descending from the same parent language. As with other sign languages, Auslan's grammar and vocabulary are quite different from spoken English. Its origin cannot be attributed to any individual; rather, it is a natural language that emerged spontaneously and has changed over time.
Auslan was recognised by the Australian government as a "community language other than English" and the preferred language of the deaf community in policy statements in 1987 and 1991. However, this recognition has been slow to filter through to many institutions, government departments, and professionals who work with deaf people. One major period for Auslan's recognition was in 1981, the International Year of Disabled Persons, which fostered pride in Deaf culture and heightened the social status of Auslan users. This newfound acceptance led to the first signing classes being offered in TAFEs, which gave hearing Australians the opportunity to connect with the deaf community.
The 2021 census was the first to accurately capture Auslan's prevalence in the country, as previously, 'Auslan' was not identified as an option to select in the "languages other than English used at home" question. A large number of Auslan users were not aware that they could nominate Auslan as an "other language," meaning the statistics did not reflect the language's real pervasiveness. The number of Auslan users recorded in the census has been steadily increasing, with over 16,000 Australians now using Auslan as their primary language. The inclusion of Auslan as a language option in the census is a successful outcome for the deaf community, and it is hoped that this will lead to further recognition and equal status for Auslan users in Australia.
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Hearing loss increases with age
According to the National Health Survey conducted in 2021, one in ten Australians (approximately 10%) experience complete or partial deafness. This figure rises to 33.2% for Australians aged 65 and above. Overall, 14% of Australians have at least one long-term hearing disorder. The proportion of people with long-term hearing disorders increases with age, from 3% of children aged 0–14, to 49% of people aged 75 and over.
Hearing loss is a common problem caused by loud noise, aging, disease, and genetic variations. Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, is the gradual loss of hearing that occurs as people get older. It is typically caused by changes in the inner ear, middle ear, and along nerve pathways from the ear to the brain as one ages. This includes damage to or the death of tiny hair cells inside the inner ear, which pick up sound waves and convert them into nerve signals for the brain to interpret. Once these hair cells are damaged, they do not regrow, making the hearing loss permanent.
Loud noises from sources such as loud music, headphones, construction equipment, and firearms can also contribute to hearing loss. Long-term exposure to such noises can damage hearing over time. Certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are associated with hearing loss, and some medications can also cause hearing loss by being toxic to the sensory cells in the ears.
Hearing loss can lead to social isolation and loneliness, as older individuals may become depressed or withdrawn due to feelings of frustration or embarrassment from not understanding what is being said. They may also be mistakenly perceived as confused, unresponsive, or uncooperative due to their hearing difficulties. Additionally, hearing loss can affect personal safety, impacting activities such as driving, and increasing the risk of falls.
To address hearing loss, individuals can inform their friends and family, ask others to speak louder and more clearly, and reduce their exposure to loud noises. Hearing aids, special training, certain medications, and surgery are also potential treatment options.
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Aboriginal Australians are more likely to be deaf
According to the National Health Survey conducted in 2021, 33.2% of Australians aged 65 and older have complete or partial deafness. Overall, 8.7% of the total population experience complete or partial deafness. Over three million Australians (14%) have at least one long-term hearing disorder.
Within this broader context, Aboriginal Australians are more likely to be deaf or hard of hearing than the general population. A 2018-19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey found that 43% of Indigenous Australians aged seven and over had measurable hearing loss. Notably, almost three in ten (29%) children aged 7-14 years had hearing loss in one or both ears, while more than two in ten (23%) people aged seven years and over had hearing loss in both ears. The rate of hearing impairment is higher for Aboriginal Australians, and if left undetected and unmanaged, it can significantly impact their education and employment opportunities.
Several factors contribute to the higher rate of hearing impairment among Aboriginal Australians. Firstly, lack of access to health services and lower uptake of these services are key contributors to the disparity, as highlighted by the AIHW. Additionally, there is evidence of under-reporting of hearing impairment within the Aboriginal community. The hearing test used in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey was not comprehensive, and some cases of hearing impairment may have been temporary or due to limitations during the test. Almost eight in ten (79%) people with measured hearing impairment did not report having a long-term hearing issue. This indicates that the actual prevalence of hearing loss in the Aboriginal community may be even higher than reported, underscoring the need for further detailed research.
The higher rate of hearing loss among Aboriginal Australians has implications for their educational, employment, and health outcomes. People aged 18 and over with moderate to profound hearing impairment face greater inequality in these areas compared to those without hearing loss. To address these disparities, targeted programs and interventions are necessary to improve hearing health and outcomes for Aboriginal Australians.
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Frequently asked questions
Complete or partial deafness affects one in 10 Australians, or 10% of the population.
Over three million Australians (14%) have at least one long-term hearing disorder.
The proportion of people with long-term hearing disorders increases with age, from 3% of children aged 0-14 to 49% of people aged 75 and over.
Hearing loss costs Australians $11.75 billion annually in lost productivity and other impacts.
According to the 2021 Census, there were 16,242 Auslan users in Australia, up from 5,306 in the 2001 Census.
