The 10-Year Wait: What is Stopping People from Addressing Hearing Loss?

March 24, 2025 – Innsbruck, Austria: Hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent health challenges globally, affecting 1 in 5 people. Yet individuals often wait up to ten years before seeking a hearing assessment. MED-EL, a global leader in hearing solutions, has taken a closer look at the reasons behind this delay with a study* to uncover the misconceptions and barriers that prevent timely action. The company is now encouraging people to prioritise their hearing and calling for improved access to hearing healthcare worldwide.

• Top 3 barriers: Lack of awareness, gradual hearing loss, and financial concerns are the main reasons people delay hearing treatment.
• Regional differences: Brazil and Romania face the highest barriers in awareness and cost, while Austria enjoys better access to specialists.
• Call to action: MED-EL urges global awareness to combat untreated hearing loss.
  

The research* surveyed over 10,000 participants across ten countries and revealed startling insights into why hearing loss often remains untreated for so long. Key findings include:

• Lack of Awareness: Over half of respondents (52%) are unaware of the importance of regular hearing health checks, making it the top reason for delayed treatment. This underscores a significant gap in education about hearing loss and available solutions. 
• Gradual Loss Goes Unnoticed: 43% report difficulty recognizing the gradual impact of hearing loss.
  Financial Barriers: 42% of participants cite concerns over the cost of hearing treatments and devices as a significant obstacle to timely intervention.
• Social Perceptions of Aging: 37% believe hearing loss is simply a normal part of aging, while 33% think it can be managed without professional intervention. 
• Access and Availability of Services: 31% of people state that the lack of regular hearing tests contributes to delays in addressing hearing loss, while 27% highlight limited access to specialist hearing professionals.
• Social Stigma: Roughly 1 in 4 (26%) say stigma around hearing loss and hearing devices prevents them from addressing the issue.

Changing Perceptions with Age

The study shows how views on hearing loss shift with age. Older adults struggle more to notice gradual hearing loss (48% of those 55+ vs. 36% of 18-24-year-olds), while concerns about cost increase with age (47% of 55+ vs. 39% of younger participants). Interestingly, younger adults cite greater difficulty accessing specialists, with 32% of 25-34-year-olds and 30% of 18-24-year-olds noting this as an issue, compared to 25% of older adults.

Gender Differences

While most barriers are consistent across genders, women express greater worry about treatment costs (46% vs. 39% of men) and are more likely to see hearing loss as part of aging (39% vs. 36%). 

Regional Insights

Regional disparities reveal where intervention is most needed. Awareness gaps are most pronounced in Romania (66%) and Brazil (77%), highlighting the need for educational campaigns about hearing loss and hearing health. Financial concerns are particularly high in Brazil, France, and Italy (47% each), whereas countries like Slovakia (38%) and Hungary (37%) report fewer cost-related issues. Access to specialists is a major challenge in Brazil (44%) and Slovakia (35%), while Austria stands out for having the lowest access concerns (18%) due to its robust healthcare system.

Delaying Action Comes at a Cost

Waiting up to ten years to address hearing loss is not just surprising – it can seriously impact a person’s life from strained relationships and reduced job opportunities to social isolation and health challenges such as cognitive decline and increase the risk of depression. MED-EL’s global research highlights key barriers to early intervention, including lack of awareness, financial concerns, limited access to specialists, and the stigma associated with hearing loss and devices. “These barriers are real, but they are not insurmountable,” explains Dr. Patrick D’Haese, MED-EL’s Corporate Director of Awareness and Public Affairs. “Many people mistakenly believe hearing loss is just a normal part of aging or something they can manage on their own. Others do not realize how deeply untreated hearing loss can affect their relationships, careers, and quality of life. Waiting not only worsens the condition – it robs people of valuable years where intervention could make a profound difference.” Dr. D’Haese also emphasizes the need for urgent action. Raising awareness about regular hearing checks, improving access to specialists, addressing stigma, and increasing awareness of available healthcare provisions are critical for breaking these barriers. “In many countries, treatments such as hearing aids and implants are either fully or partially funded by healthcare systems, yet people may not realize these options are readily available to them,” he highlights. “Early intervention is not just about prevention – it transforms lives by keeping people connected, safeguarding mental well-being, and significantly enhancing quality of life.”

For more information on hearing visit the MED-EL website. MED-EL offers free online hearing tests to assess potential hearing loss. These quick and simple tests offer insights into hearing capabilities and communication in everyday situations.

*The online research was carried out in January 2025 by Research Without Barriers in ten countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain.

About MED-EL 

MED-EL Medical Electronics, a leader in implantable hearing solutions, is driven by a mission to overcome hearing loss as a barrier to communication and quality of life. The Austrian-based, privately owned business was co-founded by industry pioneers Ingeborg and Erwin Hochmair, whose ground-breaking research led to the development of the world’s first micro-electronic multi-channel cochlear implant (CI), which was successfully implanted in 1977 and was the basis for what is known as the modern CI today. This laid the foundation for the successful growth of the company in 1990, when they hired their first employees. To date, MED-EL has more than 2,900 employees from around 90 nations and 30 locations worldwide.
The company offers the widest range of implantable and non-implantable solutions to treat all types of hearing loss, enabling people in 137 countries enjoy the gift of hearing with the help of a MED-EL device. MED-EL’s hearing solutions include cochlear and middle ear implant systems, a combined electric acoustic stimulation hearing implant system, auditory brainstem implants as well as surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices. www.medel.com   

CEO

Doz. DI Dr DDr med. h.c. Ingeborg Hochmair

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