Still 1 in 6? Rethinking Hearing Loss in Australia
Opinion by BHA Brisbane
For years, we’ve said “1 in 6 Australians live with hearing loss.” But is that figure still accurate? As Australia ages and noise exposure increases, it might be time for an update.
Where the “1 in 6” figure came from
It was 2006, almost two decades ago, when Access Economics released their landmark “Listen Hear” report. Commissioned by CRC HEAR and the Victorian Deaf Society, the report delved deep into the prevalence and economic impact of hearing loss in Australia. It’s still a worthwhile read as the report generously discusses all aspects of hearing loss and its causes.
The numbers presented in the report were derived from models combined with reported data to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss in the general community. At the time, the report projected that 3.55 million Australians had a hearing loss.
Continued reliance on old estimates
In 2017, the Hearing Care Industry Association (HCIA) commissioned Deloitte Access Economics to update this report, aiming to raise awareness of the economic cost of hearing impairment in Australia and inform policymaking. The issue with the HCIA report is that it based its findings on estimations and projections from the original Access Economics report.
Even in 2020, when HCIA released another report, “Hearing for Life: The Value of Hearing Services for Vulnerable Australians”, the prevalence of hearing loss was derived from 2017 figures, again estimated from the original Access Economics 2006 report.
Numbers still quoted today
Hearing Australia’s annual report 2023-2024 states, “Over 3.6 million Australians have some level of hearing loss, and this number is forecast to double to an estimated 7.8 million people by 2060”. While technically correct, “over 3.6 million” is highly likely to be underrepresenting the actual number. The quote references the 2017 Deloitte Report, which, as mentioned, is based on the original 2006 estimates.
Even the Australian Government’s Department of Health, Disability and Ageing states that “about 3.6 million people have some level of hearing loss”, but doesn’t reference where that number comes from. We suspect it has its origins, like others, in the original Access Economics report or the subsequent HCIA reports.
In March 2024, mainstream media outlet “The Conversation” published an article titled, “Hearing loss is twice as common in Australia’s lowest income groups, our research shows”, still quoting the 1 in 6 figure and referencing a national hearing provider listing that figure as the current prevalence.
There are many more examples online of those numbers being represented as today’s figures.
A lack of new data
Little current, verifiable research is available on the prevalence of hearing loss in Australia:
A 2016 “Australia’s Health 2016” from the Australian Government’s Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that over 3 million Australians had a long-term hearing disorder. This was based on self-reported data, likely underestimating the actual number.
We have already mentioned the 2017 HCIA report and its use of the original report as the basis for its estimates of prevalence.
In November 2024, Hearing Australia published a press release reporting that one in two adult Australians admit to having hearing problems. This reported outcome was based on a national survey of 1012 Australians, raising the concern that the self-reported numbers could be skewed. We have been unable to find the methodology used for the survey.
This lack of current data is recognised as a concern in the 2021 report, “Putting age-related hearing loss on the public health agenda in Australia”, published in the journal Public Health Research and Practice.
There is a lack of contemporary, population-based data on hearing health in Australia. National estimates of hearing loss and associated costs are based on data that are several decades old and not necessarily representative of the current population.
From a public health perspective, this limits our capacity to identify and respond to emerging issues and adequately plan for the future of hearing health care in Australia.
Why prevalence is hard to measure
Determining the true prevalence of hearing loss in a community is surprisingly complex. One of the biggest challenges lies in inconsistent definitions—different studies use varying thresholds and criteria to define hearing loss, whether by degree (mild, moderate, severe), type (sensorineural, conductive), or configuration (unilateral or bilateral).
Compounding the issue is the fact that hearing loss is often underdiagnosed.
Many people don’t undergo formal testing, particularly if their hearing loss is mild, gradual, or dismissed as a normal part of ageing.
Self-reported data, such as that derived from surveys, tends to underestimate prevalence due to factors like stigma, denial, or even lack of awareness. People may not realise the extent of their hearing difficulties, or they may be reluctant to acknowledge them.
Without large-scale, standardised screening programs for the entire population, reliable clinical data is difficult to gather and makes comparing or consolidating data across sources nearly impossible. The original 2006 report raised some of these concerns as well.
So what are the current numbers?
With a lack of current data, the original report still seems to be the best source, so let’s use that data and those projections to update our prevalence to 2025 numbers.
For simplicity, let’s use linear projections, though we recognise this likely underreports prevalence due to Australia’s ageing population and a general increase in noise-induced hearing loss through increased exposure to both recreational and industrial noise.
What the projections say
The Access Economics report stated that prevalence was 1 in 6 (16.67%) in 2006 rising to 1 in 4 (25%) in 2050.
Based on these figures, we reached a prevalence of 1 in 5 (20.07%) in 2024, and in 2025 it stands at 20.26%.
Australia’s 2025 population is 26,974,026, which means, based on the projected prevalence above, the number of people in Australia with hearing loss could be as many as 5.46 million—almost 2 million more than the often cited 3.6 million.
Why this matters
We recognise that much of the data we have relied on is outdated and that this approach is hardly academic. However, Australia’s “1 in 6” prevalence statistic relies on research and modelling conducted almost two decades ago, and while projections from that report suggested this may rise to 1 in 4 by 2050, changes in our population, noise exposure, and other lifestyle factors may already be rendering that projection obsolete.
Without current, nationally representative data, we are likely underestimating the prevalence of hearing loss, making it harder to plan service responses, influence policy, and ensure sufficient support is available for those affected.
Time to update the conversation
We must make do with the data we have and recognise that the Access Economics report is probably the best attempt to quantify hearing loss in Australia. And if we use those figures and those projections, the situation in Australia suddenly becomes very different:
“1 in 6” may simply be underestimating the prevalence of hearing loss and downplaying the urgency of support, and the need for greater awareness.
Updating the conversation to “1 in 5” isn’t just semantics—it reflects a rising demand for support, and a greater emphasis on the importance of early detection for what could be as many as 5.5 million Australians with hearing loss.
It’s time our messaging caught up with reality.
