Various studies, including a survey conducted by Better Hearing Institute, a Washington D.C. area-based non-profit organization that educates the general public about the hearing loss, treatment and prevention, have consistently shown that people who wear hearing aids enjoy a better quality of life than those who do not. A recent research study by an American Academy of Audiology task force reaffirms those findings.
The task force was formed to conduct a meta-analysis of the evidence-based literature on the correlation between hearing aids and an enhanced quality of life. After a three-year review of the existing literature the task force concluded that by reducing social, emotional, psychological and physical impact of hearing loss, hearing aids improve the comfort and quality of life, as well as the general well-being of people who wear them.
Despite the documented evidence of benefits of hearing aids, only one in five people in the United States suffering from hearing loss wear them, citing the cost ranging from $1000 to 5,000 as the main reason they do not use a hearing aid.
Another reason, according to task force member Theresa Chisolm PhD, Professor and Chair of Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of South Florida, is that some people may be unaware of the positive impact hearing aids will have on their lives. Once they become aware of the benefits, she says, The cost relative to the improvements they have in their quality of life will make hearing aids worth the cost.
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Courtesy of HealthyHearing.com
