U.S. Population Data on Hearing Loss, Trouble Hearing, and Hearing-Device Use in Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–12, 2015–16, and 2017–20

Abstract

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on audiometric hearing loss, self-reported trouble hearing, and the use of hearing aids and assistive listening devices (ALDs) for the three most recent surveys (2011–12, 2015–16, and 2017–20) were analyzed for adults ranging in age from 20 to 80-plus years. Complete audiograms were available for a total of 8,795 adults. The prevalence of hearing loss, measured audiometrically and self-reported, is provided for males and females by age decade. Logistic-regression analyses identified variables affecting the odds of having an audiometrically defined hearing loss or self-reported trouble hearing. As in previous reports, males were more likely than females to have audiometric hearing loss and the prevalence of hearing loss increased steadily with advancing age. The same trends were observed for self-reported hearing difficulty, although the effects of age and sex were smaller for self-reported trouble hearing compared to audiometric hearing loss. The agreement between the audiometric classification of hearing loss severity and the amount of trouble reported on the self-report measure was moderate ( r = 0.61). The prevalence of hearing-aid and ALD use differed for males and females of the same age, females generally using these devices less frequently than males, but both showing increased prevalence of device use with advancing age. Unmet hearing-healthcare need, defined as the percentage of those with identified hearing loss or trouble hearing who were not current hearing-aid users or had never tried hearing aids or ALDs, was about 85%.

U.S. Population Data on Self-Reported Trouble Hearing and Hearing-Aid Use in Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2007–2018

“…Although there was good general agreement of the present prevalence estimates of trouble hearing with those in the literature, the prevalence of self-reported trouble hearing for NHIS datasets has been found to be lower than in NHANES data sets using identical questions and response scales (Ikeda et al, 2009). This was also observed here, as shown in Figure 15, which compares population-weighted prevalence estimates derived in this report (solid bars) for trouble hearing to those derived by Humes (2023) for a NHANES dataset overlapping in time with the NHIS dataset included here (striped bars). The discrepancy in prevalence estimates is substantial for each age group and overall, NHANES yielding prevalence estimates for trouble hearing that are about 1.4-1.5 times higher than for NHIS.…”

“…This discrepancy is not trivial but its affect on unmet HHC needs is muted somewhat by corresponding differences in the prevalence of hearing-aid use between NHANES and NHIS. When the NHIS prevalence estimates in Figure 9 are compared to similar estimates from NHANES (Humes, 2023), the NHANES estimates are about 1.2 times higher overall. As defined here, unmet HHC need is based on the prevalence of trouble hearing and hearing-aid use, both of which tend to be higher in the NHANES data than in the NHIS data, although to different degrees.…”

“…Ikeda et al (2009) found NHANES estimates of trouble hearing to be about 1.6-1.8 times more prevalent for NHANES than for NHIS for males and females, respectively, for 1999-2004. Given such discrepancies in prevalence between these two national datasets, it is important to get estimates of hearing-related problems and treatments from both datasets to establish a valid baseline for national HHC performance prior to the widespread availability of OTC hearing aids. Humes (2023) provided estimates from NHANES and the present analyses complement those using the larger aggregate NHIS dataset. The primary objectives of these analyses were to provide prevalence estimates, both aggregate and annual, for self-reported trouble hearing, hearing aid use, and derived unmet HHC needs for the period 2007-2018.…”

Hearing Loss and Sociodemographic Barriers to Health Care Access Using the All of Us Research Program

“…Males with HL are more likely to seek medical attention or HA for their condition compared to their female counterparts. [11][12][13][14][15] Several factors such as financial barriers, social stigma, and health literacy-independent of gender-have been suggested to affect health-seeking behaviors in patients with HL. 2 While there is some evidence to suggest that female patients with HL adapt differently and experience more social isolation related to their condition compared to men, 16,17 this work is independent of financial impact.…”

“…Males with HL are more likely to seek medical attention or HA for their condition compared to their female counterparts 11‐15 . Several factors such as financial barriers, social stigma, and health literacy—independent of gender—have been suggested to affect health‐seeking behaviors in patients with HL 2 .…”