First published 13 Februrary 2018
Nearly one in ten in Belgium say they have a hearing loss
The Survey EuroTrak Belgium 2017 shows that 9.6% of all people in the Belgium think they have a hearing loss. Among adults (above the age of 18) the figure is 11.5%. This is quite similar to the 11-12% found in the other EuroTrak surveys carried out in a series of European countries including Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy.
Among persons in Belgium aged 65 to 74, 18.6% said they had a hearing loss and among people age 75 and older, the prevalence of hearing loss was 33.7%.
Nearly one in three use hearing aids
In the survey, one out of three of those who said they had a hearing loss used hearing aids (30.7 %). 80% of those who used hearing aids used hearing aids in both ears.
The vast majority of those who used hearing aids said that they were satisfied with their hearing aids and that the hearing aids improved their quality of life. The more hours worn per day, the higher the satisfaction rate.
The hearing aid users in the Belgian survey stated that their hearing aids had a positive impact on different aspects of life, especially communication effectiveness, social life and the ability to participate in group activities improved when using hearing aids.
Reimbursement
89% of all hearing aids owners in the survey got some kind of 3rd party reimbursement. At the same time, 62% of those who had a hearing loss and did not use hearing aids, did not know whether a third party would pay any part of the hearing aids.
Hearing test
34% of the participants in the survey said that they have had their hearing tested within the last five years. Most of the hearing tests were carried out by an ENT or at school or work.
About the survey
he EHIMA’s EuroTrak Belgium 2017 survey was carried out in cooperation with the Swiss analysis firm Anovum. More than 14,000 people participated in the survey.
Source: www.ehima.com