What life is like for thedeaf and hard of hearing(HOH) has changed significantly in the past half-century. Policy changes and new technologies have provided solutions for many, and yet some hurdles have stayed the same.
The Soukup family—three generations of deaf men—have watched these changes and roadblocks unfold. When a big storm destroyed Ben Soukup Sr.’s farm in 1960, he went to banks all over town to get a loan to rebuild. Every one of them denied his application for one simple reason: He was deaf.
Ben Soukup Jr. founded the nonprofit Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), one of a number of nonprofits in the U.S. dedicated to empowering deaf and HOH individuals. Chris has continued the work as the organization’s CEO.
Years after Ben Soukup Sr. lost his farm, the deaf and hard of hearing community would go on to experience some of the greatest advancements in the United States and globally. However, a great number of challenges persist.
Lokibaho / iStockphoto
Advancements
TheAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) helped pave the way for easier communication between the hearing and deaf or HOH individuals. Passed in 1990, the law was a major turning point for the deaf community in the United States.
Employers were no longer allowed to discriminate against those who were deaf or HOH. Relay services allowed some to make phone calls for the very first time, no longer needing to rely on hearing friends and neighbors call their cable company or make a doctor’s appointment.
Captions appeared below the anchors during the nightly news, and schools and hospitals began providing interpretation services for those who use American Sign Language. The communication chasm between the hearing and non-hearing worlds began to narrow.
The emergence of the internet and electronic devices continued to transform the way deaf and HOH individuals communicate. As email, online messengers, texting, and smartphones become increasingly popular and accessible, speaking and hearing are no longer required to do everyday tasks like ordering takeout or disputing a bill.
Video conferencing services, like Skype or Zoom, have made it significantly easier for sign language users to talk with each other or for remote interpreters to assist with conversations with hearing friends and colleagues
Social media has allowed deaf and HOH individuals to find and connect with one another more easily—helping those living in rural areas, in particular, to find community and build a support network.
Interpretation services are still needed for many situations, but those in the deaf and HOH community are able to interact with more people on their own than ever before. But while the playing field may indeed be leveling, persistent challenges remain.
Economic Challenges
With the passage of legislation like the ADA, those in the deaf community are no longer strictly relegated to the role of a factory worker or hard laborer, but unemployment and underemployment still disproportionately affect them.
Roughly 8% of U.S. working-age adults who are deaf or HOH were actively looking for work yet still unemployed in 2018, with more finding only part-time or temporary positions—and only about 39.5% were employed full time in 2018, compared to 57.5% of their hearing counterparts.
The impact of these employment and educational challenges has a ripple effect. Those in the deaf and HOH community are already at higher risk for depression and anxiety.But evidence from psychologists and sociologists indicates that inadequate employment can also be linked to a host of mental health issues, as well as chronic conditions and substance abuse.
All of this can often complicate efforts to find or hold adequate employment, resulting in a vicious cycle—especially when families are unable to access or afford health care.
Health Insurance
One in 10 U.S. deaf or HOH adults aged 21 to 64 years did not have health insurance in 2018, but that’s actually below the national average for people without a disability.The percentage of insured deaf and HOH adults ranged from under 2% in Massachusetts and Washington DC to 17% in Texas.
This is not to say that all underemployed deaf and HOH individuals will struggle with major health issues, but the economic and emotional hardships often associated with not being able to find sufficient work shouldn’t be dismissed.
Families with deaf or HOH working-age adults make, on average, about $15,000 less per year than families with no disabilites, and an estimated 20% of U.S. working-age adults who are deaf or HOH live in poverty, compared to just 10% of their hearing counterparts.
Poverty
Poverty has its own way of impacting health. Studies show that low-income Americans with limited education are consistently less healthy than their higher educated, wealthier peers, especially for minority populations.Socioeconomic status and education levels are linked to a wide range of health outcomes—from low birth weight to diabetes.
Because of the interconnectedness of many of these issues, overcoming them will not be a simple legislative fix. While many deaf and HOH individuals receive financial support from initiatives like the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs, more can be done to encourage equal access to employment and education.
Social Challenges
Hearing challenges affect all ages, races, and ethnicities, from the entire spectrum of socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds. Some people were born deaf, somelost hearingas a result of a medical condition, illness, time, or trauma.
Some hear a little with the support of acochlear implantor hearing aid. Some can’t hear anything at all. In fact, the abilities and needs of those with hearing disabilities are as diverse as the community itself.
American Sign Language (ASL)
We don’t know exactly how many people in the United States use ASL, but estimates range from 100,000 to 1 million.Interpreters—they are not called “translators”—help ASL users communicate with hearing individuals.
The ADA required public institutions and schools to provide ASL interpreters for those who need them. You have probably seen them at news conferences during natural disasters, for example, or even at concerts.
ASL is not simply a gesture-based translation of English. It’s a distinct language with its own complex grammar, pronunciation, and word order rules.Just like English, expressions and messages can vary based on who is doing the interpreting.
Often ASL users do not get to choose the interpreter provided or have the option to request interpreters they prefer over others—and that can impact a deaf or HOH individual’s ability to communicate or understand important information.
Even when a sign language interpreter is provided, sometimes it’s not enough. In certain situations—such as a doctor’s office, for example—a certified deaf interpreter might be needed to work alongside the ASL interpreter to ensure nuances are effectively communicated.
Similarly, while many deaf individuals are also fluent in written English, writing things down might not be the best way to communicate with them—especially if sign language is their primary language—and family members who speak ASL shouldn’t be used as a substitute for certified interpreters.
Social Isolation
Nine in 10 deaf children are born to hearing parents, yet less than a third havefamily members who sign regularly.
Some families rely on the deaf or HOH person to read lips, but this is remarkably difficult and frequently results in an inaccurate understanding of what’s been said. It also requires the deaf or HOH person to “listen” in a way that may not be as easy for them as watching someone sign.
You can imagine the emotional and psychological toll of not being able to communicate with those closest to you, let alone others at school or work. For many deaf individuals living in rural areas, they might be the only deaf person in their community or school, making it extremely challenging to build relationships.
“I remember feeling alone, even when around a lot of people, because of communication barriers,” said Soukup. “I knew that most people were not malicious and that communication barriers exist only because of limited exposure to deaf people and a lack of understanding.”
In addition to social isolation, some research shows that deaf children, in particular, are more vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and sexual assault than their hearing peers—the results of which can have a lasting impact on both mental and physical health.
Public Health Challenges
In truth, very little research exists on the health needs of the deaf and HOH population. Health surveys, for example, are often conducted over the phone to the exclusion of deaf people, and most large-scale public health studies do not have ways to parse out data specifically regarding those with hearing loss or deafness.
Many deaf and HOH individuals are unaware of things that might be common knowledge to hearing individuals, such as their own family medical histories or even basic medical terminology because they don’t have the benefit of being able to overhear relatives discussing health matters or other peripheral conversations.
Interactions with medical professionals can be unsatisfying for both parties, as ASL users encounter barriers to qualified interpreters, and medical organizations face difficulties getting reimbursed for providing such services. The experience can be frustrating for all involved.
Suggestions for Improvement
A Word From Verywell
Much has changed in the decades since Ben Soukup Sr. was denied a loan, but it will take a collective effort at the local, state, and national levels to continue to make true progress.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAs of 2011, it was estimated that 30 million people in the U.S. age 12 and older experienced hearing loss in both ears.People can be born deaf from genetic factors such as hereditary hearing loss and intrauterine infections. Two examples of intrauterine infections arerubellaandcytomegalovirus.People with deafness communicate through visual, auditory, and tactile modes.Visual: American sign language (ASL), cued speech (using hand shapes to differentiate speech sounds),lip reading, and gesturesAuditory: Assisted hearing with a hearing aid or cochlear implantTactile: Uses the hands and body to communicate
Frequently Asked Questions
As of 2011, it was estimated that 30 million people in the U.S. age 12 and older experienced hearing loss in both ears.
People can be born deaf from genetic factors such as hereditary hearing loss and intrauterine infections. Two examples of intrauterine infections arerubellaandcytomegalovirus.
People with deafness communicate through visual, auditory, and tactile modes.Visual: American sign language (ASL), cued speech (using hand shapes to differentiate speech sounds),lip reading, and gesturesAuditory: Assisted hearing with a hearing aid or cochlear implantTactile: Uses the hands and body to communicate
People with deafness communicate through visual, auditory, and tactile modes.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Hearing loss organizations and associations.Cornell University.Disability statistics.Garberoglio CL, Cawthon S, Sales A.Deaf people and educational attainment in the United States: 2017. National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes.Kushalnagar P, Reesman J, Holcomb T, Ryan C.Prevalence of anxiety or depression diagnosis in deaf adults.J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2019 Oct 1;24(4):378-385. doi:10.1093/deafed/enz017Herbig B, Dragano N, Angerer P.Health in the long-term unemployed.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(23-24):413-9. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0413The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.Health insurance coverage of the total population.Braveman PA, Cubbin C, Egerter S, Williams DR, Pamuk E.Socioeconomic disparities in health in the United States: What the patterns tell us.American Journal of Public Health. 2010;100(S1). doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.166082Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Data2020.Barnett S, Mckee M, Smith SR, Pearson TA.Deaf sign language users, health inequities, and public health: opportunity for social justice.Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(2):A45National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.American Sign Language.Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.Certified Deaf Interpreter.Altieri NA, Pisoni DB, Townsend JT.Some normative data on lip-reading skills (L).J Acoust Soc Am. 2011;130(1):1-4. doi:10.1121/1.3593376Wakeland E, Austen S, Rose J.What is the prevalence of abuse in the deaf/hard of hearing population?The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. 2018;29(3):434-454. doi:10.1080/14789949.2017.1416659National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.World Health Organization (WHO).Deafness and hearing loss.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cued speech.National Deaf Center (NDC).Communicating with deaf individuals.Additional ReadingNational Network.What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Hearing loss organizations and associations.Cornell University.Disability statistics.Garberoglio CL, Cawthon S, Sales A.Deaf people and educational attainment in the United States: 2017. National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes.Kushalnagar P, Reesman J, Holcomb T, Ryan C.Prevalence of anxiety or depression diagnosis in deaf adults.J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2019 Oct 1;24(4):378-385. doi:10.1093/deafed/enz017Herbig B, Dragano N, Angerer P.Health in the long-term unemployed.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(23-24):413-9. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0413The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.Health insurance coverage of the total population.Braveman PA, Cubbin C, Egerter S, Williams DR, Pamuk E.Socioeconomic disparities in health in the United States: What the patterns tell us.American Journal of Public Health. 2010;100(S1). doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.166082Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Data2020.Barnett S, Mckee M, Smith SR, Pearson TA.Deaf sign language users, health inequities, and public health: opportunity for social justice.Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(2):A45National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.American Sign Language.Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.Certified Deaf Interpreter.Altieri NA, Pisoni DB, Townsend JT.Some normative data on lip-reading skills (L).J Acoust Soc Am. 2011;130(1):1-4. doi:10.1121/1.3593376Wakeland E, Austen S, Rose J.What is the prevalence of abuse in the deaf/hard of hearing population?The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. 2018;29(3):434-454. doi:10.1080/14789949.2017.1416659National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.World Health Organization (WHO).Deafness and hearing loss.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cued speech.National Deaf Center (NDC).Communicating with deaf individuals.Additional ReadingNational Network.What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Hearing loss organizations and associations.Cornell University.Disability statistics.Garberoglio CL, Cawthon S, Sales A.Deaf people and educational attainment in the United States: 2017. National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes.Kushalnagar P, Reesman J, Holcomb T, Ryan C.Prevalence of anxiety or depression diagnosis in deaf adults.J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2019 Oct 1;24(4):378-385. doi:10.1093/deafed/enz017Herbig B, Dragano N, Angerer P.Health in the long-term unemployed.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(23-24):413-9. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0413The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.Health insurance coverage of the total population.Braveman PA, Cubbin C, Egerter S, Williams DR, Pamuk E.Socioeconomic disparities in health in the United States: What the patterns tell us.American Journal of Public Health. 2010;100(S1). doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.166082Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Data2020.Barnett S, Mckee M, Smith SR, Pearson TA.Deaf sign language users, health inequities, and public health: opportunity for social justice.Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(2):A45National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.American Sign Language.Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.Certified Deaf Interpreter.Altieri NA, Pisoni DB, Townsend JT.Some normative data on lip-reading skills (L).J Acoust Soc Am. 2011;130(1):1-4. doi:10.1121/1.3593376Wakeland E, Austen S, Rose J.What is the prevalence of abuse in the deaf/hard of hearing population?The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. 2018;29(3):434-454. doi:10.1080/14789949.2017.1416659National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.World Health Organization (WHO).Deafness and hearing loss.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cued speech.National Deaf Center (NDC).Communicating with deaf individuals.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.Hearing loss organizations and associations.
Cornell University.Disability statistics.
Garberoglio CL, Cawthon S, Sales A.Deaf people and educational attainment in the United States: 2017. National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes.
Kushalnagar P, Reesman J, Holcomb T, Ryan C.Prevalence of anxiety or depression diagnosis in deaf adults.J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2019 Oct 1;24(4):378-385. doi:10.1093/deafed/enz017
Herbig B, Dragano N, Angerer P.Health in the long-term unemployed.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(23-24):413-9. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2013.0413
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.Health insurance coverage of the total population.
Braveman PA, Cubbin C, Egerter S, Williams DR, Pamuk E.Socioeconomic disparities in health in the United States: What the patterns tell us.American Journal of Public Health. 2010;100(S1). doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.166082
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Data2020.
Barnett S, Mckee M, Smith SR, Pearson TA.Deaf sign language users, health inequities, and public health: opportunity for social justice.Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(2):A45
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.American Sign Language.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.Certified Deaf Interpreter.
Altieri NA, Pisoni DB, Townsend JT.Some normative data on lip-reading skills (L).J Acoust Soc Am. 2011;130(1):1-4. doi:10.1121/1.3593376
Wakeland E, Austen S, Rose J.What is the prevalence of abuse in the deaf/hard of hearing population?The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology. 2018;29(3):434-454. doi:10.1080/14789949.2017.1416659
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.Quick statistics about hearing.
World Health Organization (WHO).Deafness and hearing loss.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Cued speech.
National Deaf Center (NDC).Communicating with deaf individuals.
National Network.What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
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