Toward Alleviating the Stigma of Hearing Aids: A Review

Abstract

Despite the significant advancements in hearing aid technology, their adoption rates remain low, with stigma continuing to be a major barrier for many. This review aims to assess the origins and current state of hearing aid stigma, as well as explore potential strategies for alleviating it. This review examines the societal perceptions, psychological impacts, and recent technological advancements that can influence hearing aid adoption and reduce stigma. Methods: A narrative-focused review of the literature from peer-reviewed journals and reputable sources was conducted, analyzing papers on hearing aid stigma, adoption rates, and technological solutions. The research works were categorized based on their focus on the drivers and alleviation strategies for the stigma of hearing aids. Results: This review identifies stigma as a complex, multifaceted issue driven primarily by ageism, disability perception, and the association of hearing aids with aging and incapability. Despite technological improvements, the studies surveyed listed stigma as a major factor in non-adoption. Technological advancements such as artificial intelligence in sound processing, multifunctional features, and innovative design have shown potential in reducing stigma and improving user experience. Conclusions: Alleviating the stigma of hearing aids requires a multi-pronged approach, combining improvements in technology with changes in societal perceptions. Multifunctional devices including both health and communications functions, advanced signal processing, and esthetic improvements can drive their adoption, but broader public health awareness and education are also essential to changing societal attitudes and fostering greater acceptance of hearing aids.

Keywords: adoption rate; design; functionality; hearing aid; hearing loss; stigma.

Figure 1

The age-related progression of hearing loss across different frequencies for men (A) and women (B). The data, collected from over 10,000 individuals aged 10 to 99 years in Japan, show that hearing thresholds progressively increase (indicating worse hearing) with age, particularly at higher frequencies [20]. Re-used with permission.

Figure 2

Evolution of hearing aid form factors. (Top left): Madame de Meuron with an ear trumpet, an early form of hearing aids dating back to the 17th century. (Top right): Frederick Rein’s acoustic chair, designed for King John VI of Portugal in the early 19th century. (Middle left): body-worn hearing aids based on the vacuum tube, circa 1944. Middle right: transistor body-worn hearing aids, circa 1979. (Bottom): modern hearing aids in 2024. From (left) to (right): invisible in-canal (IIC), completely in-canal (CIC), in-the-canal (ITC), in-the-ear (ITE), micro receiver-in-canal (Micro RIC), and receiver-in-canal (RIC) designs, all from Starkey Hearing. Re-used with permission.

Figure 3

Demonstrations of new features to expand hearing aid functionality. The first image is how the fitness tracking data from Starkey’s hearing aids is shown to the wearer. The second image is a demonstration of how their first DNN-based denoising software worked [24]. The current generation of advanced hearing aids from Starkey incorporates a DNN accelerator embedded within the processor of the devices.

Figure 3

Demonstrations of new features to expand hearing aid functionality. The first image is how the fitness tracking data from Starkey’s hearing aids is shown to the wearer. The second image is a demonstration of how their first DNN-based denoising software worked [24]. The current generation of advanced hearing aids from Starkey incorporates a DNN accelerator embedded within the processor of the devices.