This includes use of other devices that may help a person hear better at home or in public (e.g., devices that make the telephone or TV sound louder), called hearing assistive technology) tips for using visual clues to enhance speech understanding and advice for rearranging a person’s home or office to make it easier to hold a conversation and reduce background noise. A searchable database of certified audiologists can be found at The public can also call 80.Īudiologists can help with other forms of treatment beyond hearing aids to improve a person’s listening and communication skills this is called audiologic rehabilitation. Some plans require a doctor’s referral to see an audiologist. Audiologists can advise on ways to make hearing aids more affordable, and various organizations offer financial assistance.īefore scheduling an appointment, check with your insurance plan to find out about your coverage for hearing services. Take this step even if you think you can’t afford hearing aids or other hearing services. Private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare generally cover evaluations. By taking action, a person can improve their overall health, mental health, personal relationships, and quality of life.Īs a first step, anyone who has concerns about their hearing (or that of a loved one) should seek a hearing evaluation from a certified audiologist. Many people wait years or even decades to seek help for their hearing loss, as illustrated in the new televised public service announcement (PSA), Act Now on Hearing. If you have untreated hearing loss, you might have a higher risk of developing certain health conditions-including social isolation, depression, anxiety, falls and other injuries, and cognitive decline and dementia. Hearing loss can have a significant impact on a person’s overall health, physical safety, and quality of life. And most adults also report they wouldn’t treat hearing loss unless it was “severe.” Yet, only 20% have had a hearing test in the past 5 years, compared with 61% who have had their vision tested. adults say that maintaining their hearing health is extremely or very important to their quality of life, according to a recent poll commissioned by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and conducted by YouGov. By 2050, the World Health Organization projects 1 in 4 people globally will be living with hearing loss.Īn overwhelming 80% of U.S. adults experience, affecting an estimated 48 million people nationwide. Hearing loss ranks as one of the most common chronic health conditions that U.S. The European Journal of Public Health, 23(1), 146–152.National Association for Hearing and Speech Action (NAHSA) today launched a new public service announcement (PSA) campaign-Act Now on Hearing-to encourage the public to take action on their hearing health. Global and regional hearing impairment prevalence: an analysis of 42 studies in 29 countries. Stevens, G., Flaxman, S., Brunskill, E., Mascarenhas, M., Mathers, C. International Journal of Audiology, 52(2), 92-97. Prevalence & characteristics of severe and profound hearing loss in adults in a UK National Health Service clinic. Dual sensory impairment in older adults increases the risk of mortality: a population-based study. Disability & Rehabilitation, Early Online: 1-8Ģ. Severe to profound hearing impairment: quality of life, psychosocial consequences and audiological rehabilitation.
J., Magnuson, A., Terneval, E., Eden, M., Skagerskarand, A., & Jonsson, R. We have the largest portfolio of innovative hearing solutions for all your patients, no matter their age or degree of hearing loss.ġ.