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Study finds hearing aids can reduce risk of death, yet only 1-in-10 Americans actually use them
A new study has found hearing aids can reduce the risk of death by around 25%, yet so many Americans who need them, arent wearing them.
Videos of teary-eyed children hearing for the first time thanks to new hearing aids are fairly common online, but actually wearing those hearing aids for day-to-day life is frustratingly rare. This week, a new study has revealed the incredible benefits that wearing your hearing aids can have on your lifespan and why so many Americans are disappointing their doctors by ignoring sound advice.
New study finds hearing aids can reduce risk of death by around 25%
A new study from scientists at the University of Southern California has found that regularly wearing hearing aids can reduce your risk of death by around 25%.
This is despite the vast majority of people who actually need hearing aids refusing to wear them regularly in their day-to-day lives.
The team surveyed around 10,000 people in one of the largest studies into hearing loss in American history and found that the risk of mortality was lower among adults who reported regular hearing aid use compared to those who never, or rarely use hearing aids.
However, the study also found that there was no significant difference between people who dont regularly use hearing aids and those who refuse to wear them at all suggesting that you need to go all in in order to see a notable boost to lifespan.
Lead researcher Dr Janet Choi told BBC Science Focus Personally, as someone who uses a hearing aid, I find this result exciting.
“It suggests that there may be a potential protective role of hearing aid use against mortality among those who could benefit from hearing aids.
I encourage anyone experiencing hearing difficulties to get their hearing tested and determine the type and severity of their hearing loss, Dr Choi explained.
You’ll likely be amazed by the sounds you’ve been missing, which you won’t realize until you have your hearing tested and, if suitable, try a hearing aid.”
Over 500 million people are predicted to have hearing loss by 2030
Over 40 million Americans currently suffer from significant hearing loss with over 81% of people above 40 years claiming that their hearing health was either very important or extremely important for their quality of life.
Yet only 1-in-10 of people actually use them day-to-day in the US. �
Those figures arent much better outside of the US either, with 11 million people in the UK needing hearing aids despite only 1-in-3 using the devices regularly.
According to data published on Statista, the number of people around the world who are expected to suffer from disabling hearing loss will continue to increase over the next 30 years.
By the year 2030, over 500 million people will suffer from hearing loss: rising to over 600 million by 2040, and 700 million by 2050.
Yet it’s not all doom and gloom, not only are hearing aids becoming more and more accessible as technology develops, but the number of specialized hearing experts in the US has also been slowly rising.
Back in 2015, there were around 5,900 hearing aid specialists working in the United States. By 2021, that figure had almost doubled to 10,700 specialists, with clinics and facilities springing up around the country.
If you or a loved one is experiencing difficulties in hearing, get a test done by a professional specialist as soon as you can and if you require hearing aids, make sure you wear them as often as possible.
