Abstract
Untreated sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) can negatively affect the healthrelated quality of life of individuals and their families and is often associated with social isolation, increased levels of depression and anxiety [3,4]. Recent studies have shown that SHL is associated with accelerated cognitive decline in the elderly people, and with brain atrophy, especially in the temporal lobe [6]. Although hearing aids (HA) are the most common treatment for SHL, many patients do not seek help for about 10 years or more after they initially notice hearing problems [7]. In addition, only one in five patients who are candidates for wearing HA use them. In other words, this low rate indicates that 70 to 80% of people with hearing impairment are still at risk of the insidious effects of untreated SHL [1]. Unfortunately, approximately 67 to 86% of people with SHL who might benefit from HA do not receive them or use them [2]. It is difficult to understand the reason why so many patients are not looking to improve their hearing, especially given the advances in hearing aid technology over the past decade. Some studies show that sound amplification can be beneficial even for people with mild hearing loss.