2.2. Sign language users
This section provides relevant statistical information about deafness in general, the Deaf community, and the Deafblind situation.
Table: General deaf impairments and national spread
|
Features |
Numbers |
Percentage |
Descriptions |
|
National population |
60,600,000 |
|
Persons residing in Italy |
|
Hard-of-hearing |
5,000,000 |
8.2% of national population |
Total number of people with hearing impairments (Carlo Eugeni-Unapeda) |
|
People with hearing impairments |
1,198,000 |
2% of national population |
People with only hearing impairments as sensorial disability (ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Women with hearing impairments |
638,000 |
53.3% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Men with hearing impairments |
560,000 |
46.7% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
People with hearing impairments over 65 |
895,000 |
74.7% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Nationwide: North-West |
289,920 |
24.2% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
North-East |
233,610 |
19.5% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Centre |
258,770 |
21.6% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
South |
268,350 |
22.4% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Islands: Sicily and Sardinia |
147,350 |
12.3% of 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
Table: Deafness and education
|
Features |
Numbers |
Percentage |
Descriptions |
|
Total number of scholars with hearing impairments. |
6,217 |
2.64% of 234,788, the total number of scholars with deficit |
Preschool, primary school, junior high school, high school (ISTAT 2014/2015) |
|
People with hearing impairments and compulsory education. |
994,340 |
83.0% of the total number of people with hearing impairments, 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
People with hearing impairments and high school graduation. |
165,324 |
13.8% of the total number of people with hearing impairments, 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
People with hearing impairments and a university degree. |
38,336 |
3.2% of the total number of people with hearing impairments, 1,198,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Profoundly deaf people. |
70,000 |
0.1% of national population, 60,600,000 |
Born deaf or became deaf before learning any language. Deafness is considered profound when the hearing loss is equal or higher than 90 decibels (EUD, 2014) |
|
Profoundly deaf scholars in primary school |
4,930 |
2.1% out of scholars with deficit (234,788) |
Deafness is considered profound when the hearing loss is equal or more than 90 decibels (ISTAT, 2014-2015) |
|
Deep deaf scholars in junior high school |
4,226 |
1.8% out of scholars with deficit (234,788) |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
Table: Deaf community
|
Features |
Numbers |
Percentage |
Descriptions |
|
Deaf registered by ENS |
60,000 |
|
(ENS, 2010) |
|
Deaf sign language users |
40,000 |
60% out of profoundly deaf people are signers |
(EUD, 2014) |
|
Deaf signers with Deaf parents |
7,000 |
10% out of profoundly deaf people |
Carlo Eugeni- Unapeda |
Table: Deafblind
|
Features |
Numbers |
Percentage |
Descriptions |
|
Total Deafblind people |
189,000 |
0.3% of national population |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Nationwide: South and Islands |
89,586 |
47.4% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Centre |
40,450 |
21.4 % of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
North |
59,157 |
31.3% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind people graduated from compulsory school |
169,910 |
89.9% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind people graduated from high school |
14,553 |
7.7% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind with university degree |
4,536 |
2.4% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind without any other sensorial deficit |
68,000 |
36.1% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind with motor deficit |
98,000 |
51.7% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
|
Deafblind with mental deficit |
76,000 |
40.1% of 189,000 |
(ISTAT, 2013) |
