One in three people with hearing difficulties is too embarrassed to wear a hearing aid and refuses to visit an audiologist for advice, according to a recent study by a UK hearing care company. Of those polled only 16% sought help immediately after recognising a loss of hearing.
Action on Hearing Loss (formerly RNID), which this year celebrates its centenary, has signed a five year agreement with a private hearing aid retailer to work together to remove the stigma of hearing loss and promote hearing health. Together they have pledged to reach one million people nationwide over the next year.
Action on Hearing Loss chief executive, Jackie Ballard says: "Our own research shows that 45% of people who reported hearing problems to their GP were, at first not referred for a hearing test, and that there is, on average, a ten year delay between symptoms and treatment."
According to the charity’s report, Hearing Matters, it is estimated that up to four million people in the UK would benefit from a hearing aid and that this figure will rise as our population ages and noise pollution increases. By 2031 it is predicted that 14.5 million people in the UK will have some form of hearing loss.
People don’t think twice now about having their eyesight checked regularly but they put off having their hearing tested. Anything we can do to remove the stigma and encourage people to take action and seek help as soon as possible will have a huge impact and that is why we offer free hearing screening at all our Centres.
That is a truth
ReplyDeletebut who is hearing that?