EuroTrak Germany: hearing tests more likely

Hearing loss prevalence is also higher, along with the number of hours that hearing aids are worn. 97 % of hearing aid owners say they improve their quality of life.

13,583 people were surveyed during 2018 forthe German EuroTrak, which was designed andexecuted by Anovum, on behalf of the EuropeanHearing Instrument Manufacturers Association(EHIMA). In previous years, not all data was released for theGerman EuroTrak, so it was diffi cult to get a good overviewor compare to other countries involved in the survey. Thisyear, however, all results from EuroTrak Germany have beenpublished.12.2% of 13,583 peoplesurveyed said they have ahearing loss, the highestprevalence of hearing loss in the2018 surveys published so far.However, compared to the UKand France, Germany has thelowest penetration, with 36.9%of people obtaining hearinginstruments. 71% of peoplequestioned wear binauralhearing instruments, althoughthis number has decreasedslightly from the 2015 surveywhen 75% of people said they were wearing two products.As in other countries, adoption rates in Germany are lower forthose with mild and moderate hearing loss. 21% of peoplewith mild hearing loss have hearing instruments comparedto 66% of those with severe to profound hearing loss.Germans are the most likely to have had their hearing testedin the last fi ve years, with 45% of those questioned visitinga professional to be checked. 60% of these visits were to anENT doctor.

Two-thirds of hearing aid ownerspurchased their products in thelast three years and typicallytwo years pass between thembecoming aware of their hearingloss and purchasing hearinginstruments. On average hearingaids are used for six years beforethey are replaced. Only 39%knew the brand of hearing aidthey were wearing.15% of owners use an accessorywith their hearing instrument(such as a remote control, TV streamer, or app). 70% of them claim to be satisfied with theaccessory.

Longer hours = greater satisfaction

In all countries, satisfaction with hearing instruments ishigher for those people who wear the products the longest.In Germany hearing aids are worn, on average, for 9 hoursa day – more than one hour longer than France and the UK.82% of the hearing aid owners say their hearing aids workbetter than or as expected and there has been a significantpositive impact of hearing aids on different aspects oftheir lives. 76% are either satisfied or very satisfied withtheir hearing instruments; those with the newest productsexperience greater satisfaction. They are especially impactfulon communication effectiveness, participation in groupactivities and people’s sense of safety. Two-thirds of hearingaid owners feel more confident moving in a city now they havetheir hearing instruments. These benefits are also witnessedand appreciated by significant others in the household, withcommunication and social activities greatly improved. Manyreport less arguments with their significant other!97% of hearing aid owners in Germany declare that theirhearing aids improve their quality of life at least sometimesand 71% of hearing aid owners think people don’t make funof or reject them because of their hearing aids. It is more likelysomebody makes fun or rejects a hearing-impaired personwho does not wear a hearing aid.

95% of the working hearing aid owners state that theirhearing aids are useful on their job and people with hearingaids recognise that wearing their instruments increase thechance of getting promoted, obtaining the right job andincreasing their salary. 60% of all hearing instrument ownerswish they had purchased their hearing aids sooner. Reasonsgiven for this vary. Many say the products give them a bettersocial life (72%), 52% say they have better mental andemotional health. 19% think they are performing better atwork and 15% say being less fatigued at night would haveencouraged them to purchase sooner.

Related health issues

When considering their general health, hearing aid ownersstate they have a lower risk of being depressed (PHQ-2Screening) compared to impaired non-owners withcomparable hearing loss. Compared to impaired hearingaid non-owners with significant hearing loss, hearing aidowners feel less exhausted in the evenings – 39% of thosewearing hearing aids say they are physically exhausted inthe evening compared to 62% of those who do not wearhearing instruments. The mental exhaustion figures are 31%of hearing aid wearers and 52% of those not wearing hearinginstruments.

Quality of sleep appears to improve if the hearing-impaireduse hearing aids, with 65% satisfied with their quality of sleep;this compares to 43% of those with hearing loss that choosenot to wear hearing instruments.

30% of the hearing impaired German population think thathearing loss could be linked to depression, 22% link it tosleeping disorders and high blood pressure too.The EuroTrak survey also asks questions to those peoplewho state they are hearing impaired but do not own hearinginstruments. The most common reason for non-purchase is‘uncomfortable’, ‘not restoring hearing to normal’ and theybelieve their hearing loss is not severe enough. 10% say theydo not know where to get hearing aids from. 45% of nonownersthink that a hearing aid (including service) should costthem less than 500 euros. The number one reason given byhearing aid owners for not wearing their devices is inability tofunction well in noise.)

Article written from the data of the EuroTrak UK survey2018, completed by Anovum for EHIMA (European HearingInstrument Manufacturers’ Association)