Update on Samuel Ochenehi from Jos, Nigeria
Samuel is examining a 43 year old retroviral disease patient who was admitted 8 days ago and is being managed for CCF secondary to DCM. He is examining her heart listening for heart sounds and murmur. She has a pan-systolic murmur grade II/IV. Photo provided by: Samuel Ochenehi, March 15, 2013. Samuel Ochenehi with a patient
Prevention of Deafness and Hearing Impairment
With primary prevention, early diagnosis and suitable management, a large percentage of cases involving deafness or hearing impairment can be avoided. Early detection and treatment in babies and children can prevent problems with language development and academic progress. Depending on the cause, hearing loss can be treated surgically, medically or with the use of hearing aids or implantable devices.
Social and Economic Burdens of Hearing Impairment
For individuals with hearing impairment, the social and economic burden of care can be heavy on their families, friends and communities. For children, hearing impairment can delay the development of language and cognitive skills, which can hinder progress in school. And for adults, hearing impairment often makes it difficult to obtain and keep jobs. Children and adults with hearing impairment are often socially stigmatized and isolated.
Deafness and Hearing Impairment
In 2004, more than 275 million people around the world had moderate-to-profound hearing hearing impairment. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of those people lived in low- and middle-income countries. Hearing impairment refers to the partial and/or complete loss of the ability to hear.