Survey overview
EuroTrak Italy 2012 was designed and conducted by Anovum on behalf of ANIFA. The study included a representative screening sample of 15,536 people and detailed interviews with 1,311 people with self-reported hearing loss, comprising 510 hearing aid owners and 801 non-owners.
Hearing loss and adoption
In EuroTrak Italy 2012, 11.6% of the total population reported hearing loss, rising to 13.4% among adults aged 18 and over.
Hearing aid adoption was 24.6% among people with self-reported hearing loss and 23.7% among adults with hearing loss. Among hearing aid owners, 54% had binaural treatment. Binaural hearing loss was reported by 65% of hearing aid owners and 64% of non-owners.
Route to hearing care
29% of respondents had undergone a hearing test within the previous five years.
Among people with self-reported hearing loss, 75% had discussed their hearing loss with an ENT doctor and/or family doctor, while 46% were recommended hearing aids by one of these professionals.
GPs mainly acted as a referral point: 76% of GP consultations resulted in referral to an ENT, while 10% resulted in a recommendation for no further action. Among ENT consultations, 25% resulted in referral to a hearing aid dispenser/audiologist, 33% in a recommendation to obtain a hearing aid and 45% in no further action.
Hearing aid use and satisfaction
Hearing aids were worn for an average of 7.7 hours per day. 78% of currently owned hearing aids had been fitted in 2009 or later, and the average age of devices was 2.3 years. The median age of hearing aids before replacement was four years.
Overall, 70% of hearing aid owners were 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 positive effects particularly in social life, participation in group activities and communication effectiveness. Hearing aid owners also tended to report a lower risk of depression and forgetfulness than non-owners with hearing loss.
Reimbursement and awareness
65% of hearing aid owners received third-party reimbursement, with 23% receiving full reimbursement and 42% partial reimbursement.
Awareness among non-owners was much lower: 60% did not know whether government or insurance would contribute to the cost of hearing aids, while 18% believed that no support would be available.
Barriers to adoption
Among non-owners with more significant hearing loss, the main reasons for not using hearing aids were believing they could still hear well enough and concerns about discomfort. Having more serious priorities, embarrassment, poor design and affordability also played a role.
10% of non-owners intended to obtain a hearing aid within the following year. Worsening hearing loss and advice from ENT specialists were among the most important potential influences on adoption, while price was particularly important for non-owners.
Overall, EuroTrak Italy 2012 shows relatively limited hearing aid adoption alongside substantial daily use and generally high satisfaction among users. Perceived need, comfort, attitudes towards hearing aids and affordability remained important barriers among non-owners.
Source: Anovum – EuroTrak Italy 2012.
