Why don't more people who could use a hearing aid wear one? According to recent Healthy People 2010 statistics, only 16 to 17 percent of adults between the ages of 20 and 69 with hearing loss have worn hearing aids, while 25 to 29 percent of adults ages 70 and over with hearing loss have used them.
This past August, the issue was explored in-depth during a three-day working group meeting sponsored by the NIDCD. The goal of the meeting, held at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, Md., was to develop a research agenda that could help increase the accessibility and affordability of hearing health care for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. The working group was organized by Amy Donahue, Ph.D., deputy director of NIDCD's Division of Scientific Programs and program director of the hearing research portfolio. Judy Dubno, Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina, and Lucille Beck, Ph.D., Department of Veterans Affairs, co-chaired the working group.
A summary of the working group meeting along with research recommendations can be found here: www.nidcd.nih.gov/.
