Key Points Concerning Results Of ASHA Commissioned Polling On Hearing Health Released May 3, 2021

Attitudes and Actions Towards Hearing Health: Summary Report of U.S. Adults Ages 18+ [PDF]

When was the polling done and what did it consist of?

Poll was conducted online in March 2021 by YouGov, on behalf of ASHA.

Questions focused on respondents’ hearing health and their attitudes toward it.
Polled a representative sample of nearly 2,500 Americans age 18 or older.
We think this year is especially opportune to highlight hearing health especially since the World Health Organization (WHO) recently spotlighted the importance of hearing by releasing the first ever World Report on Hearing.
Currently, an estimated 48 million Americans have hearing loss--and it is on the rise; WHO estimates 1 in 4 people will have hearing loss by 2050.

What are key findings?

The good news is 80% of Americans say maintaining their hearing heath is extremely important or very important to their quality of life. However, when pressed for specifics, results showed many people aren’t taking action on their hearing loss—and wouldn’t unless they felt it was severe.
Only 20% of US adults have had their hearing tested in the past five years, compared to over six in 10 (61%) who had their vision tested.
More than half of all US adults (51%) report having some degree of hearing difficulties, but only 11% of those with hearing problems have sought treatment.
Among those with hearing problems, almost eight in 10 (78%) say they’ve had trouble for a year or more—and over a third (35%) for 5 or more years.
Nevertheless, people do recognize some of the consequences of untreated hearing loss; 37% of workers had concern that hearing difficulties could hurt their ability to remain employed, and 44% expressed worry that hearing difficulties would reduce their on-the-job effectiveness.
The leading cited barrier to acting on getting help was the respondents’ assessment that minor hearing difficulties are easy enough to live with; concerns about the cost of treatment or insurance concerns were also commonly mentioned.

What has been the impact of the pandemic?

60% of Americans either personally experienced hearing issues or noticed others having them during social distancing, mask wearing, and video calls. One especially concerning result is that many with hearing difficulties who noted hearing issues with masking/social distancing reported difficulty understanding staff at medical appointments (36%). This is an area where clear communication is critical.
39% put off seeking health care they saw as non-urgent because of the pandemic.
31% of those who have experienced hearing difficulties with social distancing, mask wearing, or video calls say it has made them more likely to seek treatment for hearing issues. For some people who may have thought they were getting by, these pandemic necessities have shed new light on the state of their hearing.

What is risked by inaction?

Like many other health conditions, the longer hearing loss is untreated, the harder and more expensive it becomes to treat.
Hearing health is an important factor in all aspects of life; poll respondents were correct to worry about the impact on their ability to work. Hearing loss can sharply diminish one’s overall quality of life. It has also been associated with other serious conditions or health threats, including cognitive decline, dementia, social isolation, and falls, one of the costliest causes of injury for older Americans. Many of the adults polled were unaware of the association to these other health conditions and learning about that changed their views on the importance of treatment.

What action do you suggest people take for the sake of their hearing health?

Get a hearing assessment from an ASHA-certified audiologist—they are best trained to diagnose hearing difficulties and provide the most appropriate form of treatment; not all hearing difficulties are addressed by wearing a hearing aid.

If you have a grandparent, parent, or significant other who you know is having hearing problems, encourage them to seek help—significant percentages of poll respondents indicated that such encouragement would prompt them to act.
Protect your hearing; nearly half of people polled don’t protect themselves from loud noise. Along those lines, we encourage the public to wear ear plugs in noisy environments; as much as possible, limit the amount of time you spend in these environments; don’t overuse personal audio devices that plug into the ear at high volume levels.
Wear your hearing aids, if you have them—less than half of poll respondents said they wear their hearing aids most of their waking hours; yet 4-10 said that wearing hearing aids had improved their quality of life and more half said they were satisfied with their hearing aids.