OTHER CULTURES
The deaf and hard-of-hearing culture. (Based on a presentation by Margaret Widner-Kolberg)
“Today, I will discuss general issues about the deaf and hard of hearing culture related to interactions between hard of hearing patients and medical providers and some specific needs of families during pregnancy, the birthing process and in the postpartum period.
Deaf and hard of hearing families each have their own traditions. Hearing loss is super- imposed on existing traditions. When the deaf and hard of hearing come in contact with an unprepared health care system, hearing loss may exacerbate feelings of isola- tion, stress and exhaustion for these families. This section provides some suggestions for working more effectively with families with hearing difficulty.”
Deaf and hard of hearing families each have their own traditions. Hearing loss is superimposed on existing traditions.
History and culture. Hearing loss exists in all age groups and affects all cultures. The exact number of people with hearing impairment is unknown, but the British Medical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research estimates that the total number of people suffering from hearing loss worldwide (greater than 25 dB) will exceed 700 mil- lion by 2015. In the developed world alone, the number of hearing-impaired people will reach 215 million by 2015.
Surveys based upon the American population have estimated • the number of hearing-impaired in North America today is more than 36 million people,
• by the year 2030, the number of hearing-impaired people in North America will reach 78 mllion,
• in the Baby Boomer population, one in six people has hearing loss,
• on those between the ages of 29 and 40, what we refer to as the X generation, one in 14 has hearing loss,
• There are 1.4 million children under age 18 years of age in the U.S. with hearing problems.
Hearing loss is defined as “a decrease in sound, silence.” Hearing loss is indeed a “loss” and can reduce the quality of one’s life in many ways. The impact of hearing loss is an individual one, and can only be defined in individual terms. Every person is affected differently, as defined by their own particular personalities, life histories, and social situations.
A person’s cultural heritage strongly shapes their individual values and beliefs. A cultural group can be defined as people who share a common origin, language, customs, style of living, and sense of identity. People with hearing loss develop individual variations in
VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY: CROSS CULTURAL EXPRESSIONS OF GRIEF AT THE LOSS OF AN INFANT 59
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