A recently completed study by Johns Hopkins University – published on November 14, 2011 in the Archives of Internal Medicine – now confirms that 1 in 5 Americans have hearing loss in at least one ear. This is well over 50 million people and far exceeds previous hearing care industry estimates of approximately 25 million.
The Johns Hopkins study is unique in that the data used statistically corresponded with the entire US population by including both men and women of all races, aged 12 and older, living in cities throughout the country.
Using the World Health Organization’s definition of hearing loss – not being able to hear sounds of 25 decibels or less in the speech frequencies – the Johns Hopkins researchers found that over 30 million Americans have hearing loss in both ears and that over 20% of the population – in excess of 50 million people – have …