Barriers to hearing aid adoption in hearing loss

More than one-fifth of the US population has hearing loss, a condition associated with higher risk of falls, depression, isolation, cognitive decline, dementia, and all-cause mortality. Treatment of hearing loss has been shown to correlate with decreased risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and mortality, as well as an improved quality of life. Surprisingly, however, fewer than 1 in 10 Americans with hearing loss use hearing aids. As the prevalence and burden of hearing loss grow, clinicians must understand factors influencing hearing aid use to increase treatment rates. This article reviews key barriers to hearing aid adoption-including low hearing health knowledge, inadequate screening, stigma, cost, and difficulty of use-and discusses recent changes that may influence these barriers.