Survey overview
EuroTrak UK 2015 was designed and conducted by Anovum on behalf of the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA). The study included a representative screening sample of 14,473 people and detailed interviews with 1,325 people with self-reported hearing loss, comprising 605 hearing aid owners and 720 non-owners.
Hearing loss and adoption
In EuroTrak UK 2015, 9.7% of the total population reported hearing loss, rising to 11.7% among adults aged 18 and over. This compared with 9.1% and 10.7% respectively in 2012.
Hearing aid adoption increased to 42.4% of people with self-reported hearing loss, compared with 41.1% in 2012. Among adults with hearing loss, adoption was 42.7%. Among hearing aid owners, 61% had binaural treatment.
Route to hearing care
27% of respondents had undergone a hearing test within the previous five years, compared with 26% in 2012. Hospital audiologists and family doctors were the most common providers of hearing tests.
Among people with self-reported hearing loss, 64% had discussed their hearing loss with an ENT doctor and/or family doctor, while 50% were recommended hearing aids by one of these professionals.
GPs played an important role in referrals: 40% of GP consultations resulted in referral to a hearing aid dispenser and 45% in referral to an ENT. Among ENT consultations, 42% resulted in referral to an audiologist.
Hearing aid use and satisfaction
Hearing aids were worn for an average of 8.1 hours per day. 79% of currently owned hearing aids had been acquired within the previous three years, and the average age of devices was 2.1 years.
Overall, 70% of hearing aid owners were satisfied with their devices, compared with 72% in 2012. 81% said their hearing aids worked as expected or better. Satisfaction was higher among people who wore their hearing aids for longer each day.
Users reported positive effects particularly in communication, participation in group activities and self-confidence. 92% said their hearing aids improved their quality of life at least sometimes. Hearing aid ownership was also associated with a lower reported risk of depressive symptoms and less evening exhaustion, while the survey indicated better sleep quality among people using hearing aids.
NHS provision and awareness
The NHS remained the main source of hearing aids, with 83% of hearing aid owners receiving NHS hearing devices, compared with 84% in 2012.
Among non-owners, only 21% believed that a third party would pay at least part of the cost of hearing aids, compared with 25% in 2012.
Barriers to adoption
The main reasons for not using hearing aids were believing that hearing loss was not severe enough, concerns about discomfort and embarrassment about wearing hearing aids.
Only 13% of non-owners intended to obtain a hearing aid within the following year, compared with 12% in 2012. Worsening hearing loss and advice from GPs, NHS audiologists and ENT specialists were among the most important influences on adoption.
Overall, EuroTrak UK 2015 shows a gradual increase in hearing aid adoption and widespread reported benefits among users, while perceived severity, discomfort and attitudes towards hearing aids remained important barriers among non-owners.
Source: Anovum – EuroTrak UK 2015.
