A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey discovered that men between the ages of 20-69 “had nearly twice the prevalence of speech-frequency hearing loss as women.”
Why? Experts don’t know for sure. But most agree on a common theory: noise-induced hearing loss is the second leading cause of hearing loss — thus the discrepancy is due to the occupational and lifestyle differences between men and women.
Men are more likely to have military careers, or jobs in construction or industrial settings with loud equipment. Men are also more likely to participate in recreational activities where they’re exposed to loud noise, such as hunting or shooting. Fortunately, awareness around hearing protection has increased significantly over the decades, so it’s expected that high hearing loss numbers will go down.
Watch as Starkey’s Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Dave Fabry, was recently on the KARE11 News discussing many of the hearing issues men face and provides recommendations for how to treat them.
Think you might have hearing loss? Take our free online hearing test and find out for yourself. Or call 0800 042 0000 or click here to find a hearing professional near you who can provide a thorough hearing exam and consult with you on the results.