Nearly 20% of the population will be suffering with some form of hearing loss by 2031, new research suggests.
The figures, taken from a report from “The Commission on Hearing Loss”, set-up by the International Longevity Centre-UK, estimate that in 2031 as many as 14.1 million people will be suffering from hearing loss.
This is an increase of 4.1 million on the number of people suffering hearing loss in the UK today, which is estimated to be around the 10 million mark.
The report also found that whilst as many as one in six people in the UK are currently suffering with hearing loss, just two of the total six million people who could benefit from having a hearing aid actually do. Further, 30% of these people do not regularly use them.
In its conclusion, the report said that hearing loss needs to be given greater priority in the UK and that more people are given access to high-quality health care services dedicated to hearing loss sufferers.
A full copy of the report can be found here.