Prevention of deafness in developing countries-role of engineering technology in the rehabilitation

Diminished hearing is found 7% to 10% of the population in developing countries, and 50% of this preventable. In India, nearly 280000 persons are deaf and dumb according to the 1981 census. It is believed that deafness can be largely prevented if 80% of the population of the villages can be covered. The concept of a mobile otological laboratory for rural areas, which will to some extent mitigate the shortage of specialists is presented. A mobile van has been modified at a low cost for this purpose. Although the acoustic characteristics are according to the specification for quiet surroundings, a minor correction factor of 5 dB for AC and 10 dB for BC hearing tests is required for noisy environment testing to give consistent and comparable results. Ear, nose, and throat examination and primary care is also possible in this van.<>