Prevalence of deafness - Brazil

• Grant number: 08/02866-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: August 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Ferreira Bento
• Grantee: Ricardo Ferreira Bento
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The ability of verbal communication through the language is a distinctive trace of the human species and favors the adaptation of the individual in the diverse socio cultural insertions. Its importance is unquestionable in any age and its deficiency in children or adults implies in emotional upheavals, relationship difficulties, as well as damage to the professional performance. The incapacitate auditory loss occurs when the level of sonorous perception is below 31 dB for children and 41 dB for adults, being able to be subdivided in moderate, severe and deep in accordance with its intensity. In accordance with data of 2003 of the World Health Organization (OMS), 250 million people have incapacitate auditory loss, that represents 4.2% of the world-wide population, being that two of three parts of these are in the developing countries. The precocious diagnosis of auditory deficiency allows an adjusted intervention, being ideal that the first one is made up to 3 months and as up to 6 months of life In Brazil; the average age of the diagnosis varies around 3 the 4 years of age, being able to lead up to 2 years to be concluded. Diverse factors can lead to the loss of the hearing, amongst them: metabolic, vascular, ischemic and chronic illnesses; as well as the medicine use. With the focus in the primary attention and the injunctions, few are the studies that evaluate the Brazilian situation in relation to the auditory upheavals, in quantitative way and making possible an efficient planning for its reduction and precocious treatment. Works with estimates or data of other countries do not adjust to our necessities and realities. In such a way, we consider the study of the prevalence of deafness in Brazil that will bring given, useful to the local population and it will be combined to the national studies stops in bigger scale if knowing the situation of the country. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

LETÍCIA RAQUEL BARAKY; RICARDO FERREIRA BENTO; NÁDIA REZENDE BARBOSA RAPOSO; SANDRA HELENA CERRATO TIBIRIÇÁ; LUIZ CLÁUDIO RIBEIRO; MARCELO M. V. B. BARONE; NATÁLIA BARAKY VASCONCELOS. Prevalência de perda auditiva incapacitante em Juiz de Fora, Brasil. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, v. 78, n. 4, p. 52-58, 2012-08-00. (08/02866-7)