Prevalencija invaliditeta uzrokovanog oštećenjem sluha u Republici Hrvatskoj
The Prevalence of Disability Caused by Hearing Impairments in The Republic of Croatia

Summary/Abstract: The number of hearing impaired persons in Croatia is monitored by the Registry of Persons with Disabilities. The data in the Registry are submitted by doctors, the relevant ministries, and the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute. According to the Registry, there are 13,609 people in Croatia whose disability is caused by a hearing loss (0.32%), but compared to the data of international research, we encounter significant differences. In fact, if we compare this data with the global prevalence of hearing impairments, the international percentage rate is nearly 16 times higher than the Croatian rate based on those currently registered in the Croatian Registry. Other international assessments also point to a higher prevalence of hearing impairments than recorded in Croatia. One of the main reasons for these differences is the degree of hearing impairments that is taken into account. The Croatian Registry monitors the number of people among whom the hearing impairment led to disability, while international research includes also milder forms, which do not cause disability. Another, equally important reason is the fact that international research is based on estimates, while in Croatia accurate data, based on disability diagnoses, are being used.

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