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Text Description for Use of Hearing Aids by Adults with Hearing Loss

Percent of Persons with Hearing Loss[*] Who Have Ever Used Hearing Aids

 Adults 20–69
2020 Target = 17.9%
Adults 70+
2020 Target = 31.8%
200116.6%25.5%
20029.6%25.8%
200318.1%25.2%
200416.3%26.1%
200516.7%28.1%
200616.3%25.9%
2007NA28.9%
2008NA24.3%
2009NA28.0%
2010NA26.5%
2011NA28.1%
2012NA30.5%

NA: Not Available

Note: Higher numbers are better.

*The number of persons with hearing loss is calculated based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) hearing exam estimates of the number of people with a pure-tone average (PTA) of thresholds at frequencies of 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hertz greater than or equal to 35 decibels (dB) hearing level (HL) in either one or both ears. The number of persons who respond that they have ever worn a hearing aid is obtained annually from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The 2020 target lines represent the goals recommended by the Hearing Health group to the Federal Interagency Working Group for Healthy People 2010.

Caution: These numbers were generated by the NIDCD Epidemiology and Statistics Program, in accordance with Healthy People Operational Definitions, but have not been ‘sanctioned’ by National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) staff reviewing Healthy People 2020 statistics for the mid-course review. For example, baseline data may not have been age-adjusted in the precise manner required by NCHS for release of final Healthy People statistics.

Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chart created originally by the Health Promotion Statistics Branch, NCHS, CDC, but has been updated by the Epidemiology and Statistics Program, NIDCD, NIH. 

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