More than 10% of all adult Americans have difficulty hearing
In the MarkeTrak9 survey, carried out in the US in 2014, more than one-in-ten Americans said that they have difficulty hearing. The survey also shows that 3.2% of Americans use hearing aids. That means a little over 30% of those who say that they have difficulty hearing use hearing aids.
The proportion of those who have difficulty hearing increases with age. In the age group 45-54, 11% say that they have difficulty hearing. 17% of those aged 55-64 have difficulty hearing while among 65-74 year olds, the proportion is 22%. For those aged 75-84, 34% say that they have difficulty hearing.
Use of hearing aids
Only 2-3% of all people between 45-64 use hearing aids, while the proportion of those aged 65-74 who use hearing aids is 9%. Among people aged 75-84, this figure rises to 14%.
Of those who use hearing aids, 74% say that they use two hearing aids.
In the survey, the participants said that the primary reasons for their difficulty hearing are age and noise exposure. Other reasons are e.g. ear infections, genetic conditions, accidents and diseases.
The proportion of people who have difficulty hearing in the US is roughly equivalent to that in Europe, where similar studies have shown around 10% of respondents saying that they have a hearing loss.
About the survey
MarkeTrak9 was conducted in 2014 in the US with more than 17,000 respondents. The survey was carried out for HIA – Hearing Industries Association. The MarkeTrak studies have been conducted every few years in the US for more than 25 years.
Source: MarkeTrak9