In 2021, the WHO published a World Hearing Report highlighting the growing number of people living with hearing loss or at risk of developing a hearing loss. Hearing loss affects 1.5 billion people today, and WHO projections suggest that by 2050 there will be 2.5 billion.
1 in 4 adults hear badly
In France, a new study conducted by a research team from Inserm and Université Paris Cité, in collaboration with AP-HP and the Foch hospital in Suresnes, shows that one in four adults has poor hearing. While disabling hearing loss, more serious, would concern 4% of adults.
This prevalence obviously varies with age (it is estimated that 65% of people over 60 suffer from a more or less mild form of hearing loss) and according to other factors (standard of living, noise at work, cardiovascular pathologies…) but the researchers indicate that hearing aids remain largely underused, especially among seniors. Thus, only 37% of patients with disabling hearing loss get hearing aids.
A study of 186,000 volunteers
“However, it is still difficult to take full measure of the problem and to improve preventive measures and screening, because the available data concerning the exact prevalence of hearing loss, the people affected and the use of hearing aids are still plots” underline the scientists in their study published on the Jama network.
Also, in order to have more robust data, the Inserm and AP-HP research team relied on data from 186,460 volunteers from the Constances cohort, aged 18 to 75, and in whom deafness was measured using hearing tests, to assess the prevalence of hearing loss in France.
This is how they showed that 25% of the individuals in the sample studied had a hearing loss.
“This is the first time in France that a study on the prevalence of hearing loss and the use of hearing aids has been conducted on such a large and representative sample of the adult French population. This makes it possible to draw up a reliable inventory and to provide keys to public decision-makers when effective solutions (such as hearing aids or cochlear implants) exist to deal with this major health problem”, underline Quentin Lisan and Jean-Philippe Empana, who coordinated the study.
Hearing impairment: what are the causes?
To go further in the interpretation, the Inserm researchers have attempted to define the factors associated with hearing loss. Their analyzes suggest that the elderly, men, individuals with a high body mass index (BMI), the presence of diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, a history of depression or having been exposed to noise pollution at work had the highest odds of suffering from hearing loss.
>> Conversely, having a higher income or level of education, living alone and living in an urban area are associated with lower probabilities of hearing loss.
Hearing impairment: what consequences?
Like visual impairment, hearing impairment is a major public health issue. Research shows that, if left untreated, hearing loss can contribute to, cause, or be associated with other significant and serious health issues such as:
- The Depression
- Cognitive disorders
- A higher risk of falling
- A feeling of isolation and distress
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular illnesses
“Hearing is in many respects a social sense, and hearing loss can have a fundamental impact on communication with others” underline researchers invited by the specialist in audiology Phonak, to reflect on the well-being brought by the rapid treatment of a hearing loss.
“Hearing is also an emotional sense, and hearing loss can change the way we enjoy social gatherings, theater, music and how we perceive emotions. Hearing loss can ultimately affect our ability to process changes in our acoustic environment, and have an impact on the feeling of safety or security”.
“While France has recently adopted a measure allowing the reimbursement of hearing aids by Social Security (this was not yet the case at the time this study was carried out), it would be interesting for future research to evaluate the effectiveness of such a device in encouraging the use of hearing aids” add the Inserm researchers.
Sources:
World Hearing Report, WHO, 2020
Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use Among Adults in France in the Constances StudyJama network open, June 2022
Why Hearing Well is Vital to Well-BeingPhonak press conference, June 2022
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