Hearing impaired people do without hearing aids
Only two out of five people with hearing loss wear hearing aids - despite known negative effects on health and career.
In Switzerland, one in twelve people report having hearing problems. Among adults, even one in ten is affected. In 2015, the EuroTrak study of the Association of Hearing Aid Suppliers in Switzerland (HSM) examined the "hearing situation" for the second time and documented the circumstances for those affected.
The conclusion: less hearing is accepted untreated for a long time despite negative effects, for example on health or career. This is despite the fact that hearing aid users are less prone to depression or dementia and are better integrated in their private and professional lives.
Worldwide, more than 15% of the adult population is affected by hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Switzerland, one in ten adults report having hearing problems, according to the 2015 EuroTrak study. Overall, 8% of the Swiss population speak of a hearing loss, and the proportion of hearing losses treated remained constant.
"Since even mild hearing impairment affects daily life and leads to losses in quality of life, there is a need to catch up here.
The study shows that only about 41% of those affected wear a hearing aid," comments Luca Mastroberardino, spokesman for the Association of Hearing Aid Suppliers.
The detailed summary of the study as well as the facts and figures are available at here.
