Online screening tools for hearing loss can help catch issues sooner
DRAPER, UT – November 2, 2021—As remote working continues to be a widespread norm, challenges communicating over the phone and during video calls has taken on new importance, yet many employees may be underestimating the difficulty that untreated hearing loss may be creating in these situations. According to a new research study[1] by TruHearing, the market leader in hearing benefits, 77% of employees who are wearing hearing aids agree that they find telephone and video calls easier to follow and catch more of the discussion now that they wear hearing aids, yet only 45% initially identified this as a challenge they faced while working prior to wearing hearing aids.
“What our survey reveals is a scenario where people tend to explain away their hearing loss until they experience the difference that wearing hearing aids makes in their day-to-day interactions,” said Patty Greene, Director of Provider Engagement, TruHearing. “Particularly when there are ready excuses like poor connection and bandwidth quality, it’s easy to overlook untreated hearing loss as a potential culprit.”
According to the TruHearing survey, additional benefits at work that employees noticed after wearing hearing aids included:
- They participate more and understand conversations better (79%)
- They feel more collaborative and are more likely to work efficiently and effectively in a team environment (64%)
- They more easily maintain concentration and focus on the current task at hand (63%)
Despite the advantages that wearing hearing aids can offer to employees with untreated hearing loss, individuals take an average of six years to go from acknowledging hearing loss to addressing it.[2] “Most people don’t realize how common hearing loss is among the working-age population, when in fact 60% of people with hearing loss are under 65[3],” said Greene. “Employers can support employees in thinking about their hearing sooner by
[1] Online survey conducted by TruHearing of 270 employed consumers within its database of members and inquiring members in May of 2021.
[2] MarkeTrak 10. Base Report. Hearing Industries Association, 2019.
[3] Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf
