Adults With Untreated Hearing Loss Suffer More Health Problems, Increased Costs

A study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery found older adults with untreated hearing loss spend tens of thousands of dollars on extra medical bills because of longer and more frequent hospital visits, reports the Washington Times . Approximately 38 million Americans suffer hearing loss yet only 20 percent wear hearing aids. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine researchers examined medical insurance claims for more than 154,000 U.S. adults over two-, five-, and 10-year periods. Of those, more than 4,700 people had hearing loss and incurred additional medical costs upwards of $22,000 over the 10-year period. These costs were 46 percent higher compared to the group without hearing loss. Persons with untreated hearing loss experience more inpatient stays and were at higher risk for readmission to the hospital within one month of discharge. Furthermore, people with hearing loss are at greater risk for cognitive decline, incident dementia, falls, depression, lessened quality of life, and more emergency department visits. "This study supports the need for future research to understand the role of hearing loss on patient-clinician communication and the potential influence of hearing care, including devices and services, in mitigating the overall association between hearing loss and healthcare cost," the researchers concluded.