Sign inTop 3 barriers to addressing hearing loss: lack of awareness, unnoticed gradual loss, financial concerns
Hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent health challenges globally, affecting one in five people. But people often wait up to ten years before seeking a hearing assessment. A recent survey commissioned by the Austrian firm MED-EL sheds some light on the reasons.
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It should surprise no one in audiology that a new survey of why people take so long to address their hearing loss has found that lack of awareness is the main barrier.
But there is some grain in the study commissioned by the cochlear implant outfit MED-EL and carried out in January 2025 by Research Without Barriers in ten countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. A total of 10,000 people were canvassed, their responses bringing key findings on what stops people dealing with hearing loss. The top three:
Lack of Awareness: Over half of respondents (52%) are unaware of the importance of regular hearing health checks, making it the top reason for delayed treatment. This underscores a significant gap in education about hearing loss and available solutions.
Gradual Loss Goes Unnoticed: 43% report difficulty recognizing the gradual impact of...
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