W HEN YOUR TEETH ARE giving you grief, you go and get a dental check-up. And when you’re having trouble reading, you go and get your eyes checked. But what happens when you think your hearing isn’t what it used to be? For many of us, it seems, the answer is nothing – a decision that could have big ramifications in later years. According to a national survey by hearing clinic Audika, more than 34% of Australians over the age of 40 suspect they’re hard of hearing but have never been tested, while 51% say they would avoid wearing a hearing aid as long as possible, even if diagnosed with hear- ing loss. The most common reasons are a belief hearing aids are too expensive, too uncomfortable and because they will make the wearer feel self-conscious, embarrassed or older. Louise Hickson, professor of audiology at the University of Queensland, led a major study into stigma around hearing loss, funded by the Hearing Industry Research Consortium and soon to be published in the International Journal of Audiology . She says that when people delay getting hearing aids they can become
socially isolated, which in turn impacts their wellbeing. “People typically wait about eight or nine years from when they first noticed something to when they do something,” Professor Hickson says. “So it takes a while.” Ageing is the biggest risk factor for hear- ing loss, and government statistics reveal it affects around half of Australians aged 60 to 70 and 80% of those 80-plus. Other causes include exposure to loud noise, ear diseases and genetics. “Your hearing changes very slowly by a small amount every year, so it takes you a while to realise that something’s wrong. And accepting that and being prepared to say to other people that you have hearing difficulties is a really big step for people,” Professor Hickson says. “You’ve always been a fully able person who could do everything and hear every- thing, and then you realise that your hearing is not as good. The acceptance of hearing loss and the stigma around that – that’s a big hurdle, that’s what we found.” LONG-TERM IMPACTS It’s estimated that around 3.6 million Australians have some degree of hear- ing loss, and as our population ages, that
number is predicted to double to more than 7.8 million people by 2060. For those experiencing hearing loss, delaying getting help has a negative effect on relationships, confidence and mental health. “Social isolation, withdrawal and depression are associated with hearing loss,” Professor Hickson says. “As you grow older, your social world is very important to you, and the big impact of hearing loss is threatening that social world. “The acceptance of hearing loss and the stigma around that – that’s a big hurdle.” PROFESSOR LOUISE HICKSON sounds at certain pitches – but Tony felt the problem didn’t warrant intervention. Recently, however, it became apparent his hearing was getting worse. “You get into these patterns at home where you’re talking to each other in different rooms and you can’t hear each other and someone’s got to repeat it, or you miss out on the first few words of a conversation, then you have to say, ‘What was that again?’ And eventually it drives everybody mad,” he says.
CASE STUDY
I t took about seven years for Tony Love, 67, to get hearing aids, and ultimately it wasn’t concern for his health that prompted him to take action, but concern for his wife. When he was in his early 60s, the South Australian freelance journalist and presenter went to see his GP because his wife was frustrated about having to repeat herself often in conversations with him. He was referred to an audiologist, who confirmed he wasn’t processing
“I do feel more confident” TONY LOVE Journalist
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DARE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023
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