This national survey was conducted in January 2026 to understand Australian attitudes toward hearing services, hearing aids, and healthcare providers. The research provides actionable insights for hearing service providers seeking to understand consumer behaviour, trust dynamics, and barriers to the adoption of hearing healthcare.
You can download the full document here.
METHODOLOGY
Sample size: 425 Australian adults | Age range: 18-89 years (mean: 53.4) | Gender: 51% Female, 49% Male
Coverage: All states and territories (NSW 29%, VIC 26%, QLD 21%, WA 10%, SA 6%, TAS 5%, ACT 2%, NT 1%)
Screening: 100% correctly identified audiologists as professionals who diagnose and manage hearing difficulties
1. Trust Hierarchy: Audiologists Lead, Retail Chains and AI Lag
Australians place significantly more trust in audiologists than in retail hearing chains or emerging technologies. This trust gap represents both a competitive advantage for qualified professionals and a challenge for retail-based services.
|
Source
|
Trust Completely
|
Trust Somewhat
|
Combined
|
|
Audiologists
|
53.8% | 34.9% | 88.7% |
| Large retail hearing chains | 9.7% | 46.2% | 55.9% |
| AI tools or chatbots | 2.3% | 20.3% | 22.6% |
Key insight: The 44-point gap between complete trust in audiologists (53.8%) versus retail chains (9.7%) reveals strong consumer preference for qualified clinical professionals.
2. Cost Dominates as Primary Barrier to Hearing Aid Adoption
More than half of Australians cite cost as a top barrier to hearing aids, making it the most significant obstacle to adoption by a substantial margin. However, qualitative responses suggest cost anxiety is intertwined with concerns about value and sales pressure.
|
Barrier
|
% Citing
|
|
Cost
|
56.4% |
| Concern about how they look | 28.2% |
| Not wanting to feel old | 27.7% |
| Anxiety or fear about using them | 26.7% |
| Nothing would stop me | 22.1% |
| Feeling pressured to buy | 19.5% |
3. The Age Stigma Paradox: Young Australians Fear ‘Feeling Old’ Most
One of the survey’s most counterintuitive findings: fear of feeling old decreases dramatically with age. Those least likely to need hearing aids are most concerned about what wearing them symbolises.
|
Age Group
|
“Not Wanting to Feel Old” as Barrier
|
| 18-29 years | 50.0% |
| 30-44 years | 40.3% |
| 45-59 years | 27.0% |
| 60-74 years | 18.8% |
| 75+ years | 12.5% |
Key insight: Half of under-30s would avoid hearing aids to avoid “feel old,” compared with just 12.5% of over-75s. The mental image of hearing aids is decades out of date for younger Australians.
4. Nearly Half of Australians Did Nothing About Hearing Health in the Past Year
The survey reveals a substantial untapped market: 47.7% of respondents did not use any hearing-related services in the past 12 months. This represents a significant opportunity for providers who can effectively address barriers to engagement.
|
Service Used (Past 12 Months)
|
% of Respondents
|
|
None of the above
|
47.7% |
| Had a hearing test | 27.7% |
| Wax removal | 20.0% |
| Spoke to GP about hearing | 15.4% |
| Seen an audiologist | 14.9% |
5. Consumer Awareness Gap: Most Don’t Know Who Owns Their Clinic
A significant transparency issue emerged: 78.5% of Australians were unaware or unsure that some hearing clinics are owned by hearing aid manufacturers. This lack of awareness may affect consumers’ ability to make informed choices about potential conflicts of interest.
|
Aware clinics may be manufacturer-owned?
|
% of Respondents
|
|
No
|
61.5% |
| Yes | 21.5% |
| Unsure | 16.9% |
6. Delayed Help-Seeking: Only 14% Would Act Immediately
The survey reveals concerning patterns in help-seeking behaviour. Only 14.1% of Australians would seek professional help immediately if they noticed hearing changes. Nearly one-quarter (23.3%) would wait months, mention it casually to a GP, or never mention it at all.
7. Tinnitus Acts as a Catalyst for Action
Australians experiencing significant tinnitus are far more likely to engage with hearing services. Among those with significant tinnitus, only 25.9% did nothing in the past year, compared with 56.0% of those with low or no tinnitus. When symptoms become intrusive, behaviour changes dramatically.
Strategic Implications
For Independent Providers: The strong trust advantage for audiologists over retail chains creates a clear positioning opportunity. Independent clinics can emphasise clinical expertise, professional qualifications, and the absence of manufacturer ties.
For Marketing Strategy: Address the perception gap head-on. Modern hearing aids bear little resemblance to the bulky devices younger Australians imagine. Campaigns showing sleek, invisible technology may help counter age-related stigma.
For Service Design: The 22.1% who say “nothing would stop me” represents a ready market segment. Remove friction points for these motivated consumers while addressing transparency concerns about costs.
For Advocacy: The comparison with dental and optometry suggests hearing needs cultural repositioning. Regular hearing checks from midlife could be promoted as routine preventive care, not a response to a crisis.
Key Statistics at a Glance
88.7% of Australians trust audiologists (vs 55.9% for retail chains)
56.4% cite cost as the primary barrier to hearing aids
50% of under-30s fear hearing aids would make them “feel old”
47.7% did nothing about hearing health in the past 12 months
78.5% unaware or unsure that clinics may be manufacturer-owned
22.6% trust AI tools for hearing advice (lowest of all sources)
Survey conducted in January 2026 for The Audiology Place.
