Hearing loss has been consistently associated with lower levels of employment and income, but hearing aids can help. In fact, hearing aids can reduce the risk of income loss by 90 to 100% for those with milder hearing loss.
Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions in the United States. In fact, because of an aging population, an estimated 44.1 million Americans over age 20 and approximately two-thirds of Americans over age 70 are living with clinically significant hearing loss, according to the American Journal of Public Health.
Historically, hearing loss has been associated with lower levels of employment and income, because low educational attainment and difficulty communicating may decrease career opportunities. Population-based studies have found that individuals with hearing loss are more likely to be:
- Unemployed or underemployed
- Work part-time
- Have low income compared to those with normal hearing
Employees with hearing loss often expend more effort listening, which may lead to increased stress, a greater number of stress-related sick days, and ultimately individuals with hearing loss make less than those without hearing loss.
Adults with hearing loss are also more likely to retire earlier than their peers without hearing loss, which can lead to increased financial strain later in life. Overall wealth and income may be affected by untreated hearing loss because evidence suggests these individuals spend more in healthcare costs over 10 years than individuals without hearing loss.
Hearing Aids Reduce Income Loss
Hearing aids have been shown to reduce the risk of income loss by 90 to 100% for those with milder hearing loss, and from 65 to 77% for those with moderate to severe hearing loss.
Knowing how important hearing well is to employment and income, it’s key for workers to have a diagnostic hearing evaluation, especially if they are experiencing problems hearing. Signs of hearing
problems can include:
- Ringing, buzzing, or hearing noises in your ears.
- Hearing more clearly with one ear than the other.
- Difficulty following conversations in a noisy restaurant or crowded room.
- Frequently asking people to repeat themselves.
- Trouble hearing household sounds, like a doorbell or alarm clock.
- Problems hearing on the phone.
- Feeling as if people constantly mumble or don’t speak clearly.
- Problems hearing the television or radio.
- Difficulty understanding the speaker at a public meeting or religious service.
- Problems hearing interferes with your personal, family or social life.
If you are experiencing one or more of the issues above, it may be time to have your hearing evaluated by a doctoral-level audiologist.
There also are a number of assistive listening devices, including remote microphones, which can boost hearing aid performance and can help the hearing aid wearer communicate better in the workplace, especially in one-on-one conversations.
If you have problems understanding others, especially in complex listening situations, be sure to talk with a doctoral-level audiologist about prescription hearing aid options, as well as the assistive listening systems available.
An audiologist is an expert in performing a diagnostic hearing evaluation, prescribing and fitting prescription hearing aids, and recommending assistive listening technology, if needed. The audiologist also can explain how each type of technology works, as well as recommend options to fit your budget and lifestyle, helping you fulfill your full potential to hear your best.
