Costs to Society

Cost of Untreated Hearing Loss

Untreated hearing loss costs the EU €185 billion annually in unemployment, reduced productivity, and early retirement—€17 billion more than the 2020 EU budget (Shield, 2019). Including medical expenses and other comorbidities, the total cost rises to €213 billion.

In Western Europe, untreated hearing loss is the leading cause of years lost to disability (Davis, 2016). Beyond economic impacts like reduced earning potential, specialist education costs, and a doubled unemployment rate, it drives increased use of hospitals, assisted living, and social care services. Health effects include:

The index of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) estimates adult hearing loss will reach 2.9%, reducing the quality of life for 196 million Europeans and costing €67 billion.

 

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Hearing Care is Cost-Effective

Effective, person-centered hearing care significantly reduces the health impacts of untreated hearing loss while easing the strain on Europe’s health and social systems. According to WHO, investing in hearing care delivers up to $16 in benefits for every $1.40 spent.

  • For Children: Cochlear implants enable many children to develop essential speech and language skills, allowing them to attend mainstream schools and reducing educational costs.
    Read more about hearing loss in children
  • For Adults: Treating progressive hearing loss has proven economic benefits. A study of cochlear implant users revealed a 10% increase in employment rates and a 31% rise in income after six years (Clinkard, 2015). Read more about hearing loss in Adults
  • National Savings: In the UK, implementing a National Hearing Screening Programme for individuals over 65 could save €2.34 billion within 10 years (Lamb et al, 2016).

Investing in hearing care improves quality of life, enhances productivity, and delivers measurable economic returns—benefiting individuals and society alike.

 

 

How can Policy Makers help?

  • Raise awareness of the importance of hearing health, the impact of hearing loss and the benefits of hearing loss treatment among the public and healthcare professionals.
  • Promote the need for robust national hearing health strategies including diagnosis, rehabilitation, service and maintenance.
  • Acknowledge access to professional hearing care as a right.
  • Promote access to effective treatments including hearing aids, bone conduction devices, and cochlear implants.
  • Explore and invest in effective methods of prevention and rehabilitation for hearing loss.
  • Share best practices among EU Member States.

Hearing Loss in Children

Tackling Paediatric Hearing Loss: A Global and European Challenge

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 0.5 to 5 in every 1,000 children are born with sensorineural deafness or develop hearing loss during childhood, affecting 32 million children worldwide. Without proper intervention, these children face significant challenges in their development, including:

    • Delayed Speech and Language Development
    • Reduced Awareness of Their Environment
    • Lower Educational Achievement
    • Limited Career Opportunities and Income Potential

Access to pediatric hearing care varies across EU Member States, with disparities in newborn screening, advanced treatments, and rehabilitation services. Recognizing hearing loss as a significant disability, the WHO’s World Report on Hearing provides actionable guidance to ensure equitable, lifelong care.

 

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The Benefits of Hearing Loss Treatment for Children

Many children who use cochlear implant technology for sensorineural hearing loss attend mainstream schools. In fact, a number of studies have shown that children with access to treatment go on to have normal language development and improved understanding of speech. These benefits are enhanced if treatment is given at a young age and the latest technology is provided.

The cost of specialist education support for children with untreated hearing loss is a key consideration for Governments. For a child with additional needs the kindergarten support is ~€7,500 per year; this is 10 times greater than the cost of mainstream school (Baumgartner, 2011).

Read more about the economic impact of hearing loss

How can Policy Makers help?

  • Raise awareness of the importance of hearing health, the impact of hearing loss and the benefits of hearing loss treatment among the public and healthcare professionals.
  • Promote the need for robust national hearing health strategies including diagnosis, rehabilitation, service and maintenance.
  • Introduce a national Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.
  • Acknowledge access to professional hearing care as a right.
  • Promote access to effective treatments including hearing aids, bone conduction devices, and cochlear implants.
  • Explore and invest in effective methods of prevention and rehabilitation for hearing loss.
  • Share best practices among EU Member States.

Europe’s Ageing Society

The Population is Ageing

By 2050 the number of people living with disabling hearing loss will increase to 2.5 billion. This significantly impacts the quality of life (QoL) and overall health of adults across Europe. We know that adults with hearing loss (HL) report reduced participation in society due to fragmented communication. This includes difficulty following and taking part in conversations or meetings, which can lead to a diminished circle of friends, social isolation and withdrawal.

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Read more about hearing loss and healthy ageing in this topic paper. Download and share it!

Topic Paper

#EUHPP Webinar: Healthy Hearing for Healthy Ageing

The Hearing Health Forum EU and its partner HEARRING Group held a webinar titled “Healthy Hearing for Healthy Ageing: Addressing Challenges of Hearing Loss in the EU”. Hosted by DG SANTE of the European Commission, the session featured experts like Dr. Patrick D’Haese and Prof. Paul Van de Heyning who discussed the significant impact of hearing loss on Europe’s aging population. They provided actionable strategies to integrate hearing health into national and EU policies, promoting equal access to screening, treatment, and support.

 

Adult Hearing Loss: A Barrier to Active Ageing

Untreated hearing loss in adults is linked to numerous comorbidities that diminish quality of life and impose significant financial burdens on Europe’s healthcare systems. When hearing loss deprives the brain of stimulation from communication or music, it can accelerate cognitive decline and increase the risk of dementia by up to 8.2%, making it the leading modifiable risk factor for this condition (Livingston, 2020).

Read More about Ageing and Hearing Loss

Consequences of Untreated Hearing Loss:

  • Increased Dementia Risk: Higher likelihood of cognitive decline and dementia.
  • Reduced Independence: 33% more likely to rely on others, diminishing autonomy.
  • Mental Health Issues: Twice as likely to experience depression and other mental health conditions.
  • Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Correlation between hearing loss and metabolic disorders.
  • Frequent Falls: Greater incidence of falls leading to injuries.
  • Increased Healthcare Utilization: Higher rates of hospitalization, entry into assisted living, and need for social care services.

These factors collectively escalate public spending related to aging, which already accounts for 50% of general government expenditure across Europe.

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How can Policy Makers help?

  • Raise awareness of the importance of hearing health, the impact of hearing loss and the benefits of hearing loss treatment among the public and healthcare professionals.
  • Promote the need for robust national hearing health strategies including diagnosis, rehabilitation, service and maintenance.
  • Launch a national over-55 Hearing Screening Programme.
  • Acknowledge access to professional hearing care as a right.
  • Promote access to effective treatments including hearing aids, bone conduction devices, and cochlear implants.
  • Explore and invest in effective methods of prevention and rehabilitation for hearing loss.
  • Share best practices among EU Member States.

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References

  • Hearing Loss and Adverse Health Effects

    1 Aging and Hearing Health: The Life-course Approach. Davis A et al. Gerontologist. 2016 Apr; 56(Suppl 2): S256–S267 | 2 Association of Age-Related Hearing Loss With Cognitive Function, Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Loughrey DG et al. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2018 Feb 1;144(2):115-126 | 3 Diabetes-related changes in hearing. Austin DF et al. Laryngoscope. 2009 Sep;119(9):1788-96 | 4,5 Association of Hearing Impairment and Mortality in Older Adults, Genther DJ et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015 January;70(1):85–90 | 6 Prevalence and patterns of hearing loss among chronic kidney disease patients undergoing haemodialysis, Jishana Jamaldeen, Australas Med J. 2015; 8(2): 41–46 | 7 Association of Hearing Impairment With Incident Frailty and Falls in Older Adults, Kamil RJ et al. J Aging Health. 2016 Jun; 28(4): 644–660 | 8 Death, Depression, Disability and Dementia Associated With Self-reported Hearing Problems: A 25-Year Study. Amieva H et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Sep 11;73(10):1383-1389 | 9 Associations between cardiovascular disease and its risk factors with hearing loss-A cross-sectional analysis. Tan HE et al. Clin Otolaryngol. 2018 Feb;43(1):172-181