About www.hear-it.org

This non-commercial web site has been established to increase public awareness of hearing impairment.

Sixteen percent of adult Europeans suffer from hearing loss great enough to adversely affect their daily life, yet only one out of five who would benefit from hearing aids actually use them. The web site has been established and is run by the organisation, 'Hear-it AISBL' Hear-it AISBL is an international non-profit and non-commercial organisation. The objective of Hear-it AISBL is to collect, process and circulate all and any up-to-date scientific (sociological, legal, medical, public, policy related) and other relevant information including personal stories pertaining to hearing impairments and their human and socio-economic consequences. The activities include cooperation with national organisations, dialogue with public authorities and others regarding issues on hearing impairments, and publishing www.hear-it.org, the world’s largest web site on hearing and hearing loss. www.hear-it.org is published in English, German, Spanish and French. Hear-it AISBL deals with almost any issue related to hearing impairment, including:

prevention of hearing loss the consequences of hearing impairment for the individual and society advice and practical information for hearing-impaired people information and advice for relatives and colleagues factual information about hearing issues statistics about hearing loss

Hear-it AISBL is comprised of IFHOH (The International Federation of the Hard Of Hearing), AEA (Association Européenne des Audioprothésistes), and individual members from the hearing aid industry, dispensers of hearing aids and others who share the objectives of Hear-it AISBL. Editorial staff: Soren Petersen, Editor-in-chief spe@hear-it.org Anne Busch, Editor abu@hear-it.org Christoper Obertelli, writer/journalist cob@hear-it.org Beata Carydad, writer/journalist bec@hear-it.org Laurent Weiler, writer/journalist lwe@hear-it.org Niels Christiansen, writer/journalist nvc@hear-it.org

hear-it AISBL Avenue Tervuren 35 B-1040 Brussels Belgium e-mail: hear-it@hear-it.org Phone: +32 477 53 25 89

Copyright hear-it AISBL photographs: EyeWire, GN Resound, Nordfoto, Oticon, Phonak, Siemens, Starkey, Widex, hear-it AISBL and istockphotos