The intriguing thing about hearing loss is that, statistically, if you have it, you likely won’t acknowledge it or seek out care for at least five to seven years—potentially longer.
The statistics:
- 20 percent of the United States population, or 48 million individuals, have some magnitude of hearing loss.
- Of those with hearing loss, only 20 percent will seek treatment.
- Of those who do seek treatment, they’ll wait 5 to 7 years prior to obtaining a hearing test.
- Of those that get a hearing test, they’ll delay, on average, 10 years after the established diagnosis prior to buying hearing aids.
So, on average, out of 100 people, 20 will have some degree of hearing loss. Out of those 20, only 4 will search for treatment. And those 4 individuals will wait 5 to 7 years before getting a hearing test, after which they’ll wait an additional 10 years before acquiring a hearing aid.
That means, in this sample of 100 people, 16 people will go without healthier hearing indefinitely, while the 4 that do get help will have wasted 15 years of better hearing and a greater standard of living.
Resistance to Getting Help
If you work in the hearing care profession, these statistics are demoralizing. You’ve probably joined the profession to help people—and with modern technology you know you can—yet the vast majority of individuals won’t even try to improve their hearing, or for that matter, even admit there’s an issue.
The question is, why do so many people deny their hearing loss or avoid pursuing help?
We’ve observed the top reasons to be:
1. Hearing loss is progressive
Hearing loss normally builds up in minor increments over several years and isn’t evident at any one moment in time. For instance, you’d recognize a sudden 20-decibel hearing loss, but you wouldn’t notice a yearly loss of 1-2 decibels over 10 years.
2. Hearing loss is partial
High-frequency hearing loss (the most prevalent kind) principally impacts higher frequency sounds. That suggests you might be able to hear low-frequency sounds normally, creating the feeling that your hearing is normal. The issue is, speech is high-frequency, so you may believe the speaker is mumbling when, the truth is, hearing loss is to blame.
3. Hearing loss is painless and invisible
Hearing loss is very subjective: it can’t be diagnosed by visual evaluation and it’s not normally accompanied by any pain or uncomfortableness. The only method to properly measure hearing loss is with a professional hearing test (audiometry).
4. Hearing loss is not considered by the majority of family physicians
Only a low percentage of family doctors regularly screen for hearing loss. Your hearing loss will probably not be apparent in a quiet office environment, so your doctor may have no reason to even suspect hearing loss—and they may not even be trained in its proper evaluation.
5. Hearing loss is easily compensated for
If you have hearing loss, there are other methods to magnify sounds: you can turn-up the volume of the television or require people to shout or repeat themselves. But not only does this strategy work poorly, it also passes the stress of your hearing loss onto others.
If people can conquer these barriers, they still face the stigma of hearing loss (although it’s diminishing), the price of hearing aids (although it’s falling), and the belief that hearing aids just don’t work (completely incorrect).
With so many obstacles, it’s no surprise why so many individuals wait to treat their hearing loss, if they decide to deal with it at all. But it doesn’t need to be that way…
Overcoming the Obstacles to Healthier Hearing
Here’s how you can conquer the obstacles to better hearing and help others do the same:
- Understand the odds – hearing loss is one of the most common health issues in the US. 20 percent of the population has hearing loss, so it’s not unlikely that you may, too.
- Accept your hearing loss – hearing loss is common, and so are hearing aids. Millions of people in the US wear hearing aids and most are satisfied.
- Get a hearing test – hearing loss is hard to discern and easy to deny. The only way to know for certain is by getting a professional hearing test.
- Learn about hearing aids – the latest hearing aids have been verified to be effective, and with so many models and styles to pick from, there’s a pair that’s right for you and your budget.
In regard to hearing aids, the Journal of the American Medical Association in a recent study assessed three prominent hearing aid models and determined that “each [hearing aid] circuit provided significant benefit in quiet and noisy listening situations.”
The research shows that hearing aids are highly effective, but what do hearing aid users have to say? According to the MarkeTrak consumer satisfaction survey, 78.6% were satisfied with their hearing aid performance.
Help Reverse the Statistics
To summarize, of those with hearing loss, only 20 percent will seek treatment, in spite of the fact that hearing aids are effective and most people are satisfied with their hearing aids’ overall performance.
But what if the statistics were reversed, and 80 percent of those with hearing loss sought treatment? That would mean an additional 28 million people in the US could experience all of the physical, mental, and social benefits of better hearing.
Share this post and help reverse the trend.