Ubiquitous noise, frequent hearing problems, reluctance to wear hearing aids… The results of a survey conducted by Ipsos BVA for Krys Audition paint a worrying portrait of hearing health in France and question our collective relationship to listening – that of others, but also that of our own bodies.
An increasingly noisy world, an increasingly busy ear
Silence becomes rare. In transport, at work, in busy streets or even in leisure time, noise has become a permanent component of our environment. According to the study carried out by Ipsos BVA for Krys Audition, 66% of French people say they are exposed to noise on a daily basis. A reality that is particularly marked among young adults and in urban areas, particularly in the Paris region.
This permanent sound pressure is not trivial. It acts gradually on the body and on psychological balance. Next to 39% of French people believe that noise affects their healthwith very concrete consequences: psychological tensions and attention difficulties for 73%mental fatigue for 60%and physical manifestations of stress for 45%. Noise acts as a silent wear factor. It tires the mind, weakens sleep and can lead to a gradual withdrawal from certain social interactions.
However, not all noises are experienced in the same way. What weighs most on individuals is not always the loudness, but the feeling of not being in control of their environment. Required noises – traffic, works, transport or workplaces – are much more poorly tolerated than those we choose, such as a concert or a film at the cinema.
Paradoxically, voluntary exposure to sound continues to increase. 28% of French people use headphones every daya proportion which reaches 55% among 18–24 year olds.
This permanent exhibition is already leaving its mark. Next to
seven out of ten French people say they experience at least one hearing problemeven occasional. The most common symptoms are difficulty understanding in a noisy environment (35%) and hypersensitivity to certain sounds (27%).
Despite these signals, many continue to underestimate their vulnerability.
Hearing loss: an underestimated risk for the brain
If hearing is often perceived as a simple sensory comfort, scientists now know that it plays an essential role in cognitive balance. When the ear picks up sounds less well, the brain has to work harder to understand conversations. This cognitive overload can gradually distract attention, fatigue concentration abilities and, in the long term, accelerate certain mechanisms of decline.
However, this reality remains largely unknown.
- The study reveals that 83% of French people partially or completely ignore the link between untreated hearing loss and cognitive decline;
- At the same time, 35% of people surveyed believe they are poorly informed about hearing health issues.
This information gap is not trivial. It contributes to delaying the support and adoption of solutions that are nevertheless effective. Because if hearing has become a subject of vigilance for many – 65% of French people say they pay attention to their hearing — this attention often remains theoretical. Nearly one in two French people anticipate a deterioration in their hearing in the next five years.
In other words, the risk is perceived, but it is not always transformed into concrete action. And when it comes to using a hearing aid, there are still many obstacles.
Hearing aids: a paradox between social acceptance and personal hesitation
Hearing devices have evolved profoundly in recent years. More discreet, connected, sometimes almost invisible, they are now integrated into the everyday digital ecosystem.
However, their image remains marked by old representations. In the collective imagination, this equipment often remains associated with old age or dependence. 41% of French people consider them unattractive, 39% consider them uncomfortable And 38% still see it as a marker of aging.
And yet, social perception is evolving.
- 65% of French people today believe that wearing hearing aids is socially accepted;
- But at the same time, 55% express a personal reluctance to wear one themselves.
This discrepancy reveals an intimate tension between social perception and individual acceptance.
As Bruno Censier, director of the Krys Optique & Audition brand, explains: “This paradox reveals a form of internalized stigma: although the hearing aid is socially accepted, it remains difficult to integrate into one’s own narrative. The challenge today is less to convince people of its usefulness than to transform perceptions. Discreet, connected, anchored in our digital ecosystem, hearing aids are now tools for well-being and cognitive preservation. Incorporating them into a logic of performance and longevity is the necessary condition to remove persistent obstacles.”
Faced with these challenges, specialists emphasize the importance of prevention. A few simple actions can already limit the risks: respect the so-called rule of 60/60 — do not exceed 60 consecutive minutes of listening at over 60% of maximum volume — and regularly carry out hearing tests to monitor the progress of your hearing. Because preserving your hearing is not just about the ability to hear.
It also means preserving the quality of exchanges, social participation and, even more profoundly, the vitality of the brain itself. In a society where noise has become omnipresent, learning to listen to your hearing could well become one of the new public health challenges.