Hearing Loss Facts
Patient Resources Facts don’t lie. You are not alone!
- An estimated 16% (1.1 billion people) of the world’s population is affected by hearing loss.
- Approximately 30 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.
- Hearing loss can happen at any age to anyone.
- Approximately 1/3 of those affected by hearing loss are of retirement age.
- The majority of individuals experiencing hearing loss are of working or school-going age.
- An estimated four out of five adults, over the age of 55, have hearing problems that can be improved by a clinical audiologist.
- Studies show 65% of individuals with hearing impairment experience mild hearing loss, 30% moderate, and 5% severe or profound hearing loss.
- Only 1 in 5 people who would benefit from wearing a hearing device actually use one.
COMMON SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS
The average person waits 5 to 7 years between first experiencing hearing loss symptoms and pursuing treatment.
- Asking people to repeat themselves
- Turning up the TV or radio to a volume others find too loud
- Having trouble understanding conversations in noisy environments
- Thinking people mumble their words
- Having trouble understanding women’s and children’s voices
- Difficulty hearing on the telephone
- Feeling more depressed or irritable
- Avoiding social situations
- Struggling to follow fast-moving conversations
- Missing critical information in meetings or at work
- Being told by family or friends that you have a hearing loss
HEARING LOSS & HEALTHY LIVING
Untreated hearing loss is a major health issue.
- Hearing impairment in older adults may lead to a shorter lifespan than their peers without hearing issues.
- There is a significant association between untreated hearing loss and high blood pressure.
- Adults with hearing impairment experience a 30-40% faster decline in cognitive abilities compared to their peers without hearing loss.
- 360+ million of the world’s population have disabling hearing loss.
- Adults with untreated hearing problems were more likely to note depression, anxiety and paranoia than peers who wore hearing aids.
- Individuals 18 to 69-years old experienced significantly higher instances of moderate-to-severe depression when suffering with untreated hearing loss.
- Adults with untreated hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia.