Charted: Disparities in hearing aid use
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Across income levels, white seniors in the U.S. are more likely to use hearing aids than Black and Hispanic seniors, a new study found.
Why it matters: Hearing aids can help people with hearing loss live independent lives and communicate more easily. But the new data suggests seniors aren't benefiting equally.
- Traditional Medicare does not provide hearing coverage, and hearing aids may cost thousands of dollars.
The big picture: Nationally, about 28% of seniors with audiometric hearing loss reported using hearing aids, according to the research published in JAMA Health Forum.
- But nearly 32% of white adults age 65 and older said they use the devices, compared with less than 10% of both Black and Hispanic adults.
- The new paper analyzes data from the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study, which includes a nationally representative sample of 3,054 participants.
Zoom in: 22% of white seniors earning below the federal poverty level used hearing aids, compared with about 7% of seniors who are Black and 5% who are Hispanic.
- About 33% of high-income white seniors in the sample reported using hearing aids, compared with 19% of Black and about 18% of Hispanic high-earning seniors.
Yes, but: The Biden administration in late 2022 made hearing aids available over the counter for people with moderate hearing loss, eliminating the need to see a doctor before purchasing the assisted devices. That change may not be reflected in the data used in the study.
The bottom line: The findings show that "racial and ethnic disparities in hearing aid use would likely persist without more targeted efforts to increase access and reduce inequalities," the paper says.
