In Emilia Romagna, people with deafness are growing: +50% in 10 years
In Emilia-Romagna every year on average around 130 children are born with deafness, almost four children for every thousand births
08 May 2024
08 May 2024
BOLOGNA – The number of people with deafness is growing in Emilia-Romagna. The data were presented in the Region’s Health Commission, a session during which the law to support deaf people was taken stock. In Emilia-Romagna every year on average around 130 children are born with deafness, almost four children for every thousand births. From 2011 to 2021 there was a 50% increase in users of services and there is also a growth trend for minors with hearing loss: they went from 797 users in 2011 to 1,156 users in 2021 (+45%) .
The Emilia-Romagna Region has implemented projects to reduce communication barriers, for example by encouraging the use of subtitling, and activated the social secretariat desk for deaf people, as well as various initiatives for social inclusion.
Giovanni Bianchin, coordinator of the regional hearing disabilities table, for his part points out the importance of continuing with hearing screening. “It’s a tool to immediately change history – he explains – to limit the disability of these children. Particular attention is then paid to adults with this type of problem, around 30,000 in the region”. According to the president of the National Agency for the Protection and Assistance of the Deaf (Ens), Veronica Varricchio, “important results have been obtained in recent years. To guarantee the continuity of all services, however, it is necessary to increase the dedicated funds”. For the president of the Italian families associated for the defense of the rights of the hearing impaired (Fiadda), Luisa Mazzeo, barriers in communication remain. “Accessing services is a right for all citizens – she states – particular attention is also needed on the problem in the school context”.
