Fewer and fewer feel embarrassed to wear hearing aids
Surveys in Europe show that still fewer people with hearing loss feel embarrassed about wearing hearing aids.
The EuroTrak surveys, which were carried out in Europe in 2009, 2012 and 2015, show a steady decline in the percentage of hard of hearing people who indicate they are embarrassed to wear hearing aids.
In the 2009 surveys, 56% of the hard of hearing said that they feel embarrassed about wearing hearing aids. In 2012, 52% felt embarrassed. In the 2015 surveys the figure had fallen to 42%. In the German EuroTrak survey in 2015, only 34% said that they would feel embarrassed to wear hearing aids.
Just like vision and glasses
”I’m very happy that fewer and fewer people with hearing loss will feel embarrassed to wear hearing aids”, says Secretary General Kim Ruberg, hear-it AISBL.
”But I still cannot understand why people will feel embarrassed about hearing aids. Hearing loss is quite common and nothing to be embarrassed about. And who would be embarrassed of wearing glasses if they have a problem with their vision? Hearing aids help people to hear just like glasses help people to see. I really hope that within a few years no one will feel embarrassed to wear hearing aids.”
The figures are from the EuroTrak surveys carried out in 2009, 2012 and 2015 by EHIMA (European Hearing Instrument Manufactures Association) in Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
EHIMA’s EuroTrak surveys were carried out in cooperation with the Swiss analysis firm Anovum.
Source: www.ehima.com