RESEARCH
2016 - Impact Study on Hearing Aid Use
World Wide Hearing wanted to demonstrate the impact of receiving a hearing aid, so we conducted the world’s first study to measure the impact of hearing aids on the lives of low-income people in a developing country. We also looked at the lives of people with untreated hearing loss to understand the challenges they face. Here are our key findings:
People with hearing loss:
Were significantly poorer than people without disabling hearing loss
Were twice as likely to have symptoms of depression
Had a significantly poorer quality of life
The use of hearing aids created a significant improvement in mental health & wellbeing, including:
Reduction in moderate-severe symptoms of depression
86% of case participants reported that hearing aids increased their self-confidence
88% of case participants reported that hearing aids had positively changed their enjoyment of life
23% felt safer wearing their hearing aids
56% reported that the most significant benefit of wearing hearing aids had been the ability to communicate with family and friends
World Wide Hearing hopes that these results will galvanize efforts to address hearing loss and ensure a better life for all affected.
Download the Executive Summary (8 pages) or download the complete Research Summary Report (120 pages).
