Why People Stop Wearing Hearing Aids

In business, the satisfaction and usage levels of a consumer are extremely important for any brand. Brands thrive on how happy their consumers are with the purchase and how often they use the brand. Most of us are in one way or the other aware of the term “brand loyalty.” In fact, we practice it in our lives when we keep buying the same brand of makeup, food, clothes or cell phones, and use them consistently. 

Patients of hearing loss who are fit with hearing aids are consumers, too; therefore, they comply with many business theories on brand management. An article published in The Hearing Journal claims that each time a person with hearing loss is happy with their hearing aid, they recommend the product to six other people. On the other hand, if a patient is not satisfied with the hearing aid, they narrate the negative experience to twice as many people! A negative word of mouth about hearing aids can have an expansive reach and devastating effect. 

Researchers’ Perspective 

Even when patients are over the initial hesitation of getting hearing aids, many struggle during the adjustment period and take them off. Research shows 16 percent of people fit with hearing aids end up taking them off and putting them away in an obscure corner of the house. To put this into perspective, this accounts for more than 900,000 people. That means a huge number of people are at the risk of cognitive decline because they don’t bother wearing the hearing aids programmed for them.

Another research published in the International Journal of Audiology claims that a startling 80 percent of adults between the ages of 55-74 years, who would benefit from wearing hearing aids, do not use them. These statistics are worrying because as people age, their hearing loss intensifies and leads to many other problems, including an increased risk of falling, dementia, diabetes and depression. 

The Real Reasons 

According to a research article written by Abby McCormack and Heather Fortnum in 2013, there are numerous reasons people stop wearing hearing aids, including:

1. Hearing aids do not provide enough value – consumers of hearing aids are not completely satisfied with the experience of using hearing aids. Their expectation exceeds the reality and the value derived from the purchase is not enough. 
2. They are uncomfortable – many people complain of the discomfort of wearing hearing aids. There can be feedback (echo due to chewing and talking), which can make it harder to hold a conversation. 
3. Maintenance – maintaining and keeping hearing aids in pristine condition may be too much of a hassle for some people, so instead they set them aside. 
4. Appearance – despite there being many tiny devices that are virtually invisible, people still feel wearing hearing aids may make their appearance less attractive and they might be excluded from social gatherings because of their hearing loss. 

The way forward is to change the attitude and mindset of patients of hearing loss. Healthcare providers should make the patient aware of the long-terms disadvantages of not using hearing aids and explain the benefits of their usage to bring about this change.