1. www.cefu.dk Putting Numbers and Words on the Problems Young People with Hearing Loss Face in Their Everyday Life Friday, July 4, 11:00 – 12:30

2. In this workshop, the results from a new survey of young hard of hearing persons will be presented and discussed. In this context, young is defined as being between the ages of 15 to 35 years. The survey is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The survey covers issues such as social relations, general well-being and the impact of the hearing impairment in the everyday lives of adolescents. The workshop will also focus on the tools and strategies young hard of hearing people use in order to overcome their hearing impairment, and the benefits and pitfalls of these tools and strategies.

3. A special feature of the Congress will be the meeting of young adults from all across the globe to discuss various pertinent issues about hearing loss. Through an exchange of ideas, we hope to find out what issues young adults in other countries deal with, what has been implemented in other countries and what we can work on together as a global community.

4. The Case Denmark, a country with 5,4 millions habititans. Estimated 10-12 % with a hearing loss. Social-liberal government, welfare state. Free hearings aids, and all costs connected with hearing loss is covered by law. Full legal rights (equal access for people with disabilities). Education is free and students are paid by the government to study. Very low rate of unemployment.

5. Question 1 If hearing aids did not cost anything, how large a percentage of young people with a hearing loss would use them?

6. Percentage using hearing aid, divided by the degree of hearing loss

7. ”Indeed the history of hearing aids is an exercise in deception. The true function of hearing aids has been disguised by concealing the aid in canes, fans, pearls, or in some decorative element designed to fool the observer; anything to avoid letting others know you are wearing a hearing aid.”(Stone 1993:58-59)

8. Question 2 What aid/remedy (not counting hearings aids) is most common used and how large a percentage uses this aid?

9. Percentage using different kinds of aids. Notice the extent of scale. N=219.

10. Question 3 How large a percentage of young people with a hearing disability have been bullied in school?

12. Bullying The size of the hearing loss does not matter. The ability to discern between sounds does. The consequences of bullying can be seen on every measure of the HOH’s person well- being. E.g. the number of HOH that has considered suicide rises from 15% to a 36%. That is more than 1 in every 3 person.

13. Question 4 How many young hard of hearing people suffer from tinnitus? And does it change with age?

14. Percentage suffering from tinnitus, divided in age groups

15. “The worst thing about being hard of hearing is the large amount of energy you have to spend on communication. You are tired, your head feels like it weights several tons and your neck hurts. You have the feeling you miss a lot – you are not a part of the group. You can never hear the jokes and small remarks, which makes life fun. You are exhausted for days after activities with many people and lots of noise. You will have to suffer from tinnitus, which really makes you angry.” (Woman, 32 years old, medium hearing loss)

16. How the presence of tinnitus affects the young hard of hearing person’s evaluation of life right now. N= 421.

17. Question 5 Guess the percentage that has been angry the last week, because they misunderstood something in a talk/discussion with friends?

18. If and how often the hard of hearing young adult have felt angry over not being able to follow a conversation the last week. Sortet after the ability to discern sounds. N=433.

19. Question 6 What percentage has been ashamed over their hearing loss the last week?

20. Are the young hard of hearing person ashamed of his/her hearing losss? Divided men/women. N=430.

22. Question 7 How many uses lip-reading?

23. If and how much the hard of hearing person uses lip-reading. Divided men/women. N=433.

24. Question 8 How often the young hard of hearing person experiences misunderstandings in a ordinary talk?

26. Question 9 Which kinds of talk will a hard of hearing person typically experience as most difficult? (jokes, instructions, informal talk, formal talk)

27. What type of talk are most difficult to understand, divided men/women.

28. Question 10 How often does a young hard of hearing person pretends to have heard everything, even if it is not the case?

29. Pretending to have heard everything How often the young hard of hearing pretents to have heard everything, even if it is not the case. Segmented in relation to the ability to discern sounds.

30. Question 11 What is most important – the size of the hearing loss or the ability to discern between different sounds?

31. Size of hearing loss and ”the ability to discern different sounds” Hearing loss: A measurement of the extent/size of the hearing loss. Measured in dB. The ability to discern sounds: Has an audiological meaning, but is here defined as the ability to cope with the impact of the hearing loss in a social setting. It is not easy to measure as it can change constantly.

32. So the conclusion is…part 1 The situation in school are mostly good as long as the HOH are not too handicapped The level of education achieved are similar to other young people. But it is difficult to enter the workplace/job market because of stereotypes.

33. So the conclusion is…part 2 Depends on the ruler you use: In a historic perspective: Things are getting better. In full-integration perspective: There is a lot of areas that need improving. And the situation is bleak in some places.

34. What are the central issues? Becoming an adult – the transition from child to grown-up/adult. The ability to hide/conceal a hearing loss. That a hearing loss changes, and must be defined in each (new) situation. And the greater need to swift and secure communication.

37. Analysis of the benefits, dangers and costs of using the strategy: “Asking for repetition”.

38. Analysis of the benefits, dangers and costs of using the strategy: “Going with the flow”.

39. Analysis of the social strategy: “Going on, pretending nothing happened"

40. Being Hard of Hearing Means You are in some ways being

41. If you ask young people with a hearing loss…

42. Final remarks Time for questions and debate.