How Prevalent is Hearing Loss in America ?
By ELIZABETH BRASSINE , AU . D .
How prevalent is hearing loss in America ? You may be surprised !
Nearly a fifth of all Americans 12 years or older have enough hearing loss to make communication difficult , according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers and published in the Nov . 14 Archives of Internal Medicine . The findings , thought to be the first nationally representative estimate of hearing loss , suggest that many more people than previously thought are affected by this condition . The study was led by Frank Lin , M . D ., Ph . D ., an assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine .
Using the World Health Organization ’ s definition for hearing loss ( not being able to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies ), the researchers found that overall , about 30 million Americans , or 12.7 % of the population , had hearing loss in both ears . That number jumps to about 48 million , or 20.3 %, for people who have hearing loss in at least one ear . These numbers far surpass previous estimates of 21 to 29 million .
Hearing loss prevalence nearly doubled with every age decade , with women and blacks being significantly less likely to have hearing loss at any age . Lin and his colleagues aren ’ t sure why these groups appear to be protected . However , he notes that the female hormone estrogen , as well as the melanin pigment in darker skin , could have a protective effect on the inner ear .
In the meantime , Lin says , the new numbers greatly impact the work he and other researchers are doing on hearing loss and its consequences , which , according to previous studies , include cognitive decline , dementia , and poor physical functioning . Lin ’ s research also looked at a link between hearing loss and the risk of falling in middle aged-adults and the elderly . They found that hearing loss triples the risk !
So , how does someone know that they have hearing loss ? There are several signs or symptoms that suggest hearing loss is present . These are things like having trouble hearing over the phone , finding it difficult to follow conversations especially when there are multiple speakers , needing to turn up the television , having difficulty hearing in background noise , or saying that others around them are mumbling , etc .
Hearing loss can be caused by so many factors such as the aging process , noise exposure , viral or bacterial infections , head injuries , tumors , certain medications such as some chemotherapy drugs , and heredity , among others . Audiologists are also starting to see a relationship with hearing loss and those who have suffered with COVID-19 .
The pandemic and subsequent mask usage is also making many people more aware of their hearing loss . Masks , although necessary to reduce risk of spreading disease , pose challenges for all of us with communication . This is especially true for people with hearing loss . Masks remove visual cues that we all rely on for communication . There are clear masks available that are helpful for some . However , in addition to removing visual cues , masks also degrade the speech information , particularly the high pitch sounds which are the consonants of speech . And , different masks have different effects . The N95 masks , which are the most beneficial in reducing disease transmission , have the biggest impact on degrading speech information .
“ This gives us the real scope of the problem for the first time and shows us how big of a problem hearing loss really is ,” Lin says . The moral of the story is that it ’ s a good idea to have your hearing tested throughout your life . See an audiologist today and stay connected .
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