In the USA in 1999, the National Council on the Ageing (NCOA) carried out a survey among people over the age of 50 who have a hearing loss.

The NCOA survey showed that most hearing instrument users reported significant improvement in their quality of life since they started using hearing instruments.

The survey also showed that, in comparison to people who use hearing instruments, those who do not were more likely to report the following:

• Sadness and depression
• Worry and anxiety
• Paranoia
• Less social activity
• Emotional turmoil and insecurity

For those whose hearing loss was treated the reported benefits included:

• Better relationships with their families
• Better feelings about themselves / higher self-esteem
• Improved mental health
• Greater independence and security

More than half of the users reported improvement in their domestic relationships and in their level of self-esteem. About 40% said that their lives had improved in general, that they felt better mentally and they had a higher degree of self-confidence.

To find more information on the psychological, social and physical consequences of hearing loss go to the non-commercial website www.hear-it.org.