EuroTrak UK 2015: Hearing aids for better quality of life

Now in its third year, EuroTrak UK datais showing a relatively stable pictureof hearing loss prevalence, adoptionrate and satisfaction with hearing aids.More interesting are some of the newtopics, such as better quality of sleep,satisfaction with regard to improved quality of life, thefact that people with hearing aids are not “bullied”or teased, but that hearing impaired people withouthearing aids are. The latest results also confirm thatpeople with hearing aids are less at risk of developingdepressive symptoms, less inclined to get dementia,and less “worn out” in the evenings, physically andmentally.

Soren Hougaard, Secretary General of EHIMA said, “Allin all, this begins to form the picture of what you couldperhaps call a “bigger story”, namely that hearing aidsare not only good for correcting hearing loss, but in factcontribute to better and more active lives, better qualityof life, and better overall health. A quite ambitiousclaim: not one that we hear much in the public debate.Just think of North Staffordshire, Devon, etc.”

As with the previous surveys, EuroTrak UK 2015was designed and executed by the Anovum marketresearch agency in Zurich, Switzerland, on behalfof the European Hearing Instrument ManufacturersAssociation (EHIMA). Step one in the process wasgetting approximately 15,000 responses to assess theprevalence of hearing loss and hearing aid ownership.The next stage involved detailed questions of the targetgroups of the hearing impaired with hearing aids andthe non-adopters.

Each year the survey has been expanded to includenew, relevant topics. For 2015, questions were addedto find out where people have their hearing tested, theirsources of information, sleep quality, awareness ofhearing loss before obtaining hearing aids, accessoryand telecoil usage, triggers to buy and quality of life.The 2015 EuroTrak UK representative sample is14,473 people, of whom 1,325 had impaired hearing.This allows the survey to continue to provide acomprehensive UK market overview based on itsanalysis of the 605 hearing aid owners and 720hearing impaired non-owners. The survey indicates ahearing loss prevalence of 9.7% in the UK and the rateof adoption of hearing aids in the UK is now 42.4%(up from 41.1% in 2012 and 38.6% in 2009), whichcontinues to be amongst the highest in the world. Thebinaural rate has increased to 61%; this was 54% in2012. (Fig. 1)

More than half the UK population (53%) has never hada hearing test, 27% have had a test in the last 5 yearswith most of these tests done by hospital audiologistsand family doctors! Of those surveyed, 2% had takenan online test and 1% took a test on a smartphoneapp. (Fig. 2) 61% believe that the over 55s should havetheir hearing screened every year and 73% said thefamily doctor should perform a short screen when theyattend for medical check-ups.

Doctors and hearing aid dispensers are the mostimportant sources of information and thereforegatekeepers for people to gather information abouthearing aids. Of those who had a consultation withtheir GP or ENT, 18% were made aware of PSAPs.The internet is the second most common sourcefor information. It is taking people, on average, threeyears between becoming aware of their hearing lossand obtaining hearing aids. 83% of those surveyedreceived their hearing instrument from the NHS.

Hearing aids improve more than just yourhearing

81% of working hearing aid owners state that theirhearing aids are useful for their job. They also recognise that hearing aids increase the chance of them gettingpromoted, being in the right job and getting more salarycompared to those hearing impaired people who havenot obtained hearing aids.

When looking at general health, hearing aid ownershave a lower risk of being depressed (PHQ-2 Screening)compared to impaired non-owners with comparablehearing loss. They are also less likely to think they havesymptoms of dementia. Half of all hearing aid wearerssaid there were no signs they were getting moreforgetful in the last year compared to only one quarter ofthose who do not wear hearing instruments.

Hearing aid wearers feel less physically and mentallyexhausted in the evenings compared to hearingimpaired people who do not have hearing aids. 59%were also happy with their quality of sleep, compared to34% of people with no hearing aids.

79% of the 2015 surveyed wearers owned hearinginstruments that were fitted in 2012 or later and the ageof currently used hearing aids is 2.1 years. The overalllifetime of hearing aids is typically 5 years, with hearingaids on average used for 8.1 hours a day. Hearing aidreliability is down slightly from 2012. 79% of the currentlyowned aids either needed no repairs, or only one repair(85% in 2012).

Only 25% of UK hearing aid owners are aware of theirhearing aid brand and only 33% of those would look tohave the same brand again. 13% (2012: 12%) of nonownersintend to get a hearing aid within the next year.Re-buying intention is higher at 19% than first-buyingintention. Worsening hearing loss and advice from anaudiologist are the driving factors in obtaining a hearingaid.

Most people get satisfaction

Overall satisfaction with hearing aids is 70% – thesecond lowest figure across the EuroTrak countries.This figure is declining with each survey. Satisfactionis greater the longer the hearing aid is worn each day.(Fig. 3) The survey does show the positive impactof hearing aids on quality of life. Communicationeffectiveness and participating in group activitiesimprove significantly for hearing aid wearers and thegreater the loss, the more impactful the hearing aid is.92% of hearing aid owners declare that their hearingaids improve their quality of life at least sometimes.

Stigma? Maybe if you don’t wear a hearingaid.

80% of hearing aid owners say that people don’t makefun of or reject them because of their hearing aids. It ismore likely somebody makes fun or rejects a hearingimpaired without hearing aid.

79% of the hearing impaired population who do notown hearing aids have been teased about their hearingloss, 41% say it happens regularly. For people wearinghearing aids only 5% said they were regularly teased.68% said they were never made fun of when wearingtheir hearing instruments.

Article written from the data of the EuroTrak UK survey2015, completed by Anovum for EHIMA (European HearingInstrument Manufacturers’ Association)

Read the full report here