Press release
29.09.2011 - Sennheiser UK
Estimated 2.6m Brits have never sought medical advice for hearing problems
- More women than men avoid doctors' advice for their hearing problems
- Nearly half of people with hearing problems developed them before 40 years old
Nearly one in four people (39%) with a hearing problem - equivalent to an estimated 2.6m Brits* - have never sought medical treatment or advice about it.
Surprisingly, more women (42%) than men (37%) have chosen not to go to the doctors about their difficulty, despite the stereotypical view that men are the more reluctant of the sexes to ask for professional help.
The findings come from new research** commissioned by audio specialist Sennheiser (www.sennheiser.co.uk) for its range of audiology headsets - a specially designed device that can be plugged into a TV, stereo or other piece of audio equipment to help a person with hearing difficulties hear it better.
The research also reveals that over a quarter (26%) of people with hearing problems - equivalent to 1.74m people - developed them before the age of 30. In total, almost half (48%) - equivalent to 3.2m people - developed their hearing problem before they were 40 years old.
Andy Lewis, business development manager at Sennheiser, said: "The results of our research are worrying. It seems that millions of people are living with hearing problems of varying severity without having got them checked out and potentially without benefiting from the technological solutions that exist today.
"Hearing problems don't just affect old people. Almost half of those we surveyed with hearing difficulties developed them before they were 40 years old. A sense of social embarrassment means many of these people are missing out on simple but effective solutions like audiology headsets. However, this technology can mean the difference between turning up the TV to punishing levels and enjoying it at a normal volume with the rest of your family."
* Based on total of 6.7m Britons with hearing problems, according to ONS Living In Britain survey, 2004
** Research conducted by CIE Group of 551 people, aged 30+, with mild to moderate hearing difficulties, July 2011
For more information about Sennheiser please visit www.sennheiser.co.uk
Lianne Hunter
Harvard PR
020 7861 2843
Lianne.hunter@harvard.co.uk
About Sennheiser
The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of around ?390 million in 2009. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, and has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones and monitor loudspeakers), and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).