Trends in Health Care Costs and Utilization Associated With Untreated Hearing Loss Over 10 Years

Abstract

More than 38 million adults in the United States experience hearing loss, and the prevalence increases with age such that two-thirds of adults older than 70 years have clinically meaningful hearing loss.¹ Based on current aging population trends, the number of Americans with hearing loss is projected to increase to more than 73 million by 2060.² Importantly, hearing loss has been associated with negative health outcomes, including cognitive decline,³ incident dementia,⁴ falls,⁵ depression,⁶ reduced quality of life,⁷ and an increased number of emergency department visits⁸ and hospitalizations.⁹ However, fewer than 20% of adults with hearing loss report using hearing aids.¹⁰