EuroTrak UK 2009: hearing aid adoption, satisfaction and access to care
Survey overview
EuroTrak UK 2009 was conducted by Anovum on behalf of the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA). The study included a representative screening sample of 14,980 people and detailed interviews with 1,335 people with self-reported hearing loss, including 513 hearing aid owners and 822 non-owners.
Hearing loss and adoption
In EuroTrak UK 2009, 9.5% of the total population reported hearing loss, rising to 11.5% among adults aged 18 and over. Prevalence increased strongly with age, reaching 38.2% among people aged 74+.
Hearing aid adoption was 38.6% among people with self-reported hearing loss. Adoption increased substantially with severity: 14% among those reporting mild hearing loss, 42% among those with moderate loss and 73% among the combined severe/profound group. Among hearing aid owners in the screening sample, 47% had binaural treatment.
Route to hearing care
Healthcare professionals played an important role in the hearing-care pathway. Around 67% of people with self-reported hearing loss had discussed their hearing loss with an ENT doctor and/or family doctor.
Among hearing aid owners, worsening hearing loss was a major trigger for obtaining a device. Advice from hearing aid dispensers, audiologists, GPs and ENT doctors also influenced the decision to adopt hearing aids.
Hearing aid use and satisfaction
Hearing aids were worn for an average of 7.5 hours per day. 74% of currently owned hearing aids had been acquired in 2007 or later, and the average age of devices was 2.6 years.
Overall satisfaction was high, with 77% of hearing aid owners saying they were somewhat satisfied, satisfied or very satisfied with their devices. Satisfaction was higher among people who wore their hearing aids for longer each day and among users with more recently acquired devices.
Users reported benefits across a range of areas, particularly communication effectiveness and relationships at home. Positive effects were also reported for participation in group activities, social life, confidence and independence. Noisy situations, telephone use and conversations in large groups remained among the more difficult listening situations.
The role of the NHS
The NHS was the main source of hearing aids in the UK. 74% of owners received their current hearing aid free of charge through the NHS, while 24% acquired it privately.
Awareness of support was lower among non-owners: 47% did not know whether a third party such as the NHS or insurance would pay for hearing aids, and 22% believed no support would be available.
Barriers and unmet need
Among non-owners, important barriers included believing they could still hear well enough, perceiving hearing loss as insufficiently severe, concerns about discomfort and doubts about hearing aid performance.
Only 9% of non-owners intended to acquire a hearing aid within the following year. Overall, EuroTrak UK 2009 shows relatively strong adoption and high satisfaction among hearing aid users, alongside substantial unmet need among people with untreated hearing loss.
Source: Anovum – EuroTrak UK 2009.
