Deafness in developing countries. Approaches to a global program of prevention.

The United Nations has adopted a strategic plan for the 1980s to prevent disabling conditions, primarily within the developing countries of the world. Currently, it is estimated that there are 450 million disabled people in the world and that hearing loss is one of the major disabling conditions within this group. The severity of this problem can be reduced by coordinated international planning and implementation of programs designed to reduce the impact of the various etiologic factors that are responsible for this problem.