A new survey commissioned by Audika Hearing Clinic has revealed Australians prioritise their sight over hearing, despite over three quarters (77%) knowing someone who is hard of hearing.
Most (86%) respondents ranked sight as their most important sense, with hearing coming in second (69%).
The survey result was reflected in which sense they care for more, with almost three quarters (73%) of respondents admitting that between hearing and sight, their hearing was the most neglected.
Audika found that both stigma and a lack of understanding can impact the way Australians prioritise their senses. Interestingly, while most respondents (80%) claim to have ‘a little’ understanding of hearing loss, more than a quarter (27%) also said they neglected their hearing because they didn’t understand and know where to start.
More than half of Australian respondents (59%) think there is a negative stigma surrounding hearing loss, this increased among respondents aged 18-24 (61%)7 and 50-64 (64%). While this declined slightly among those surveyed aged 65+ (55%), 4-in-10 (41%) of senior respondents think there is a negative stigma surrounding hearing aids.
No stranger to the stigma of hearing loss, Mackenzie Arnold, goalkeeper of the Matildas and Audika ambassador, recently discussed her experience with hearing loss, admitting there was a stigma around the avenues for addressing hearing loss that, as a child, prevented her from seeking treatment.
“I was in denial that my hearing was ‘bad enough’ to get it checked, because there was a stigma around some of the ways you might address hearing loss,” she says.
“Despite my brother having hearing loss since childhood, I convinced myself mine was not bad enough until early last year, and he was my biggest driver in seeking help. Since addressing my hearing loss, I have noticed a great change in the quality of my life, and I want to inspire others to feel comfortable to get their hearing checked earlier.”
Stigma by state
When it comes to negative stigma surrounding hearing loss, NSW survey respondents were the most inclined to agree, with 65%, compared to 58% in Queensland and Victoria, and 50% in Western Australia.
Victorian respondents were most likely to know someone with probable hearing loss, with almost 8-in-10 (79%) claiming to know someone who is hard of hearing, 7-in-10 (72%) Western Australian respondents know someone who is hard of hearing, increasing to three quarters (75%) in Queensland and over three quarters (77%) in NSW.
Lauren McNee, an experienced clinician and audiologist at Audika Hearing Clinic, says hearing can profoundly impact the way we engage with community, alongside senses such as sight and touch.
“It impacts how confident we feel to engage in community, listen to loved ones, and feel a sense of belonging. While it is often an overlooked health issue, it is one that can greatly impact mental health and emotional wellbeing,” she said.
“Whether it’s your own hearing or the hearing of a loved one, it’s important to discuss hearing health, reduce the stigma around hearing loss, and promote hearing checks.”
