(A802) Association Between Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Internet Searches with Media Campaigns and Federal Announcements

Introduction: Hearing loss affects over 1 in 5 Americans. While 21% of eligible candidates use hearing aids (HAs), only 2.1%-12.7% receive a cochlear implant (CI). Factors for underutilization include cost, stigma, device satisfaction, and knowledge gaps, particularly for CIs. This study aims to quantify internet relative search volumes (RSVs) as a proxy for general awareness of HAs and CIs around relevant significant events and estimate costs using Medicare data.

Methods: Using Google Trends, we performed Welch’s t-tests to compare the average RSVs of event (two weeks before and after the event date) and non-event periods (all weeks outside the event period) for the terms "hearing aids” and "cochlear implant”. Medicare data were extracted to calculate estimates of submitted charges.

Results: From 2020 to 2024, HA RSV increased from 50% to 100% while CI RSV remained relatively stagnant below 13%. Both HA (p <.001) and CI (p <.001) RSVs increased significantly when CI Medicare coverage expanded in Sep 2022. HA (p=.048) but not CI (p=.819) RSVs increased for International CI Day Feb 2023, yet HA (p <.001) and CI (p <.001) RSVs increased the next year. In Nov 2024, HA (p <.001) but not CI (p=.358) RSVs increased significantly around the Federal Communications Commission notice requiring wireless connectivity compatibility of cellphones with HAs and CIs. Compared to the $5,000 cost of HAs, the CI submitted charges for candidacy evaluation, the device itself, implantation surgery, and initial programming totaled about $45,000.

Conclusions: This study highlights the gap between HA and CI costs and public awareness, with RSV upticks only around certain events. Future research should explore more impactful awareness campaigns and factors underlying prohibitive costs.