45% of older Japanese feel their hearing is going

The company Rion recently published the results of a survey into hearing aids for older people.

Interestingly, the company Rion was also responsible for designing the neutrino detecters that recently earnt a Japanese physicist a Nobel Prize; they also have an English magazine describing how they developed the detectors which might be more interesting than this survey…

A couple of years ago I looked into prices of hearing aids and it was quite frightening (300,000 yen or more), and unless you are certified as deaf you have to pay full whack – there is zero support from national health insurance, and even officially deaf people have to rely on local government handouts that may or may not cover the total cost. I read a couple of years ago that the hearing aid market was ripe for disruption; surely given the ubiquity of smartphones it would be possible to make the earpiece just a dumb speaker, then build an aural profile of one’s ear state and download it to a smartphone, add a decent microphone, and Bob’s your uncle?

Here’s a 1960s made in Japan hearing aid:

Research results

Q1: Have you felt recently that your hearing is fading? (Sample size=600)

Often (to SQ)	14.8%
Sometimes (to SQ)	31.7%
Not really	27.5%
Not at all	26.0%

Q1SQ: When in your daily life have you felt that your hearing is fading? (Sample size=279, multiple answer)

Difficult to hear conversation in noisy places	62.0%
Don’t understand people who talk in a subdued voice	61.6%
I increase the TV volume when I cannot pick up what people are saying	52.7%
I more often ask people to repeat themselves during conversation	51.6%
I give vague answers when I don’t fully pick up people’s questions	50.5%
Difficult to hear people on the phone	32.6%
Difficult to follow people on TV variety shows, etc	28.7%
Family, etc, tell me the TV is too noisy when I’m watching it	24.0%
People around me tell me I’m not hearing stuff	15.4%
None of the above	1.8%

Q2: In the future, will you use a hearing aid if your hearing fades? (Sample size=600)

Yes (to SQs)	78.8%
No	21.2%

Q2SQ1: Why do you want to use a hearing aid in the future? (Sample size=473, multiple answer)

Want to enjoy conversation with friends, family	64.7%
Want to enjoy TV, radio, movies, etc	56.7%
Will be a handicap in my daily life if I don’t	56.0%
Don’t want to feel inconvenience when out, travelling	42.1%
In case of disaster I feel it will be needed	34.9%
Want to enjoy music, concerts	23.7%
Will be necessary to take part in local events	18.0%
Want to enjoy theatre, rakugo (comic story telling), etc	16.7%
Think it will be needed at work	12.9%
Other	1.5%

Q2SQ2: What shape of hearing aid do you want to use in the future? (Sample size=473)

Inside-ear type	38.5%
Over the ear type	19.9%
In the pocket type	3.2%
Don’t known	38.5%

Q2SQ3: What kind of design of hearing aid do you want to use in the future? (Sample size=473)

Design that doesn’t stand out	68.7%
Enjoyable colour, design	8.5%
Not bothered about design	11.4%
Don’t know	11.4%

Q2SQ4: What features do you want from a hearing aid you want to use in the future? (Sample size=473)

Noise reduction feature	66.6%
Speech enhancement feature	55.4%
Water-resistance	44.6%
Can clearly pick up people talking straight in front of me	43.8%
Wireless features, smartphone connection	26.4%
Other	0.8%
Not bothered by feature set	1.1%
Don’t know hearing aids had features	8.5%
Don’t know	7.8%

Q2SQ5: Where would you want to buy a hearing aid from in the future? (Sample size=473, multiple answer)

Hearing aid shop	59.0%
Optician	35.3%
Electrical superstore	20.3%
Department store	9.9%
Mail order	6.3%
Watch shop	4.4%
Other	0.2%
Don’t know	19.5%

Q2SQ6: What basis will you use when choosing where to buy a hearing aid from in the future? (Sample size=473, multiple answer)

Shop that offers maintenance	59.4%
Shop with knowledgeable staff	59.2%
Shop with certified staff	49.5%
Shop that offers a trial period before purchasing	48.6%
Shop with cordial staff	47.4%
Shop with devices from many makers	42.9%
Shop close to my home	33.2%
Shop that offers a simple purchase method	14.8%
Shop that offers discounts	13.7%
Internet, mail order shop	5.7%
Other	0.6%
Don’t know	6.8%

Q2SQ7: Will you be hesitant to use a hearing aid in the future? (Sample size=473)

Hesitant (to SQ8)	73.2%
Not hesitant	26.8%

Q2SQ8: Why will you be hesitant to use a hearing aid in the future? (Sample size=346, multiple answer)

Don’t know how effective it will be	43.6%
May be troublesome to use	43.1%
Hearing aids are expensive	41.9%
Look old wearing one	11.8%
Don’t want people to know my hearing is failing	8.7%
Difficult to understand how to buy a hearing aid	6.1%
Other	9.5%

Demographics

In the latter half of July, 600 people between the ages of 60 and 74 answered a private internet-based questionnaire. There were three age groups, 60 to 64, 65 to 69 and 70 to 74, with 100 male and 100 female in each group.