it is becoming more prevalent.
' The 1995 UK national study of hearing disorders found that 20% of adults had some degree of hearing impairment (audiometric threshold greater than 25 dB) in the better hearing ear: 75% of those are over 60 years age.
Recent estimations suggest that the number of of senior citizens in the US with significant hearing loss could increase to 35-40 million by the year 2030.
Aging is defined as the biological process of growing old, and intrinsic and extrinsic factors, as well as their inter- actions, influence the degree and rate at which our hearing ages. Thus, the occurrence of presbycusis is thought to be determined predominantly by genetic factors; however, it also can be influenced by environmental factors, such as noise, ototoxic drugs, alcohol, and diabetes.