听力是日常生活中不可或缺的一部分。它帮助我们与亲人沟通、参与日常对话、享受各种娱乐活动，并与周围的世界保持联系。
但是，听力问题在马来西亚到底有多普遍？
根据[报告 2023年全国健康与发病率调查（NHMS）, 3.2%的马来西亚成年人表示即使使用助听器，仍存在听力困难。这意味着，在每100名接受调查的成年人中，约有3人表示自己存在听力困难。
虽然这个比例看起来可能不高，但它突显了一个重要的问题： 听力困难可能影响我们身边的人，因此不应被轻易忽视。
了解3.2%的统计数据
3.2%这一数据来自《全国健康与病 morbiditi 调查》（NHMS）2023，该调查评估了马来西亚成年人在多个功能方面的困难，其中包括听力方面的问题。
需要了解的是 3.2%并不意味着只有3.2%的马来西亚人有听力损失。.
The 3.2% figure does not mean that only 3.2% of Malaysians have hearing loss. 听力困难这与根据听力图（Audiogram）进行的临床听力损失诊断有所不同。
例如，一个人可能听得到声音，但仍然会在听清楚方面遇到困难：
- 在嘈杂环境中听清楚别人说话
- 在与几个人交谈之后
- 听清楚较轻的声音
- 听清楚别人在另一个房间说的话
- 以舒适的音量收听电视
这些日常生活中的听力困难，有时可能是一个信号，说明一个人的听力需要进一步进行评估。
听到声音 vs 听懂说话的内容
Salah satu salah faham yang biasa berlaku ialah:
“我听得到别人说话，所以我的听力应该没问题。”
然而，听力并不只是听到声音这么简单。
我们的耳朵负责接收声音，而大脑则会处理这些声音并理解其中的含义。这就是为什么一个人可能听得到别人说话，却仍然难以听清楚对方所说的内容。
这种情况在有背景噪音的环境中会更加明显，例如餐厅、购物商场、家庭聚会或繁忙的工作场所。
如果你经常发现自己会说： “我听得到他们说话，但却听不清楚他们在说什么。” 或许可以考虑进行一次听力检查。
为什么人们会迟迟不寻求帮助？
HMS 2023 也报告了一项重要发现：在有听力困难的成年人当中，只有 26%的成年人在过去12个月内曾因听力困难而寻求帮助。.
这意味着 26%并不是指马来西亚人当中患有听力损失的比例。相反，这一比例指的是那些报告有听力困难，并随后寻求帮助的人所占的比例。
许多人可能会因为听力变化是逐渐发生的，而迟迟没有寻求帮助。他们可能在不知不觉中慢慢适应这些变化，例如把电视音量调高，或更常要求别人重复刚才所说的话。
有些人也可能认为，听力困难只是年龄增长过程中正常的一部分。
但虽然听力会随着年龄增长而自然发生变化，如果持续出现听不清楚或难以理解别人说话的情况，就应该引起重视。
Hearing Difficulty and Age
Age is one factor associated with hearing and functional difficulties.
NHMS 2023 reported that overall functional difficulty increased with age, with adults aged 60 years and above experiencing a higher prevalence than younger age groups.
This is one reason why hearing checks can become increasingly important as we get older.
However, hearing concerns are not limited to older adults. Noise exposure, certain medical conditions, medications and other factors can also affect hearing.
That is why it is important to pay attention to changes in your hearing at any age.
When Should You Consider a Hearing Test?
You may want to consider a hearing assessment if you or your family notice that you:
- 经常需要别人重复说过的话。
- Struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments
- Need the television volume to be louder
- Have difficulty understanding soft voices
- Often misunderstand what people say
- Find group conversations challenging
- Feel that people are mumbling
- Have family members commenting on your hearing
A professional hearing assessment can provide a clearer picture of your hearing ability and help identify whether further evaluation or hearing solutions may be appropriate.
Take Your Hearing Health Seriously
Hearing difficulties may sometimes develop so gradually that we do not notice them immediately.
However, small changes in hearing can eventually affect communication, relationships and participation in everyday activities.
The NHMS 2023 findings remind us that hearing difficulty is a health concern worth paying attention to — and that many people who experience hearing difficulty may not seek help.
You don’t have to wait until your hearing becomes a major problem before getting it checked.
If you have noticed changes in your hearing, or your family has started pointing them out, consider speaking with an audiologist.
Take the First Step Towards Better Hearing
在 Soundlife Hearing, our audiologists can help you understand your hearing and discuss the appropriate next steps based on your individual needs.
Book a hearing assessment today and take the first step towards clearer communication and better hearing health.
参考资料
Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia. National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023: Technical Report. The report provides the national prevalence of hearing difficulty among Malaysian adults, including the 3.2% figure.
Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia. NHMS 2023 Key Findings. The report provides information on help-seeking among adults experiencing hearing difficulty, including the 26% figure.
Official NHMS 2023 Portal: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia.