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A new study from John Hopkins University has revealed that Americans aged 20 and above will lose their hearing by 2060. In 2020 alone, 55 percent of matured individuals with deafness will be 70-years-old and above. The rate of occurrence may double with an increase of 67 percent over the next 43 years.

New York Daily News reported that researchers have projected a gradual rise from 44.1 million people in 2020 dealing with moderate or greater hearing loss, which is 15 percent of people 20 and above, to 73.5 million in 2060, which is 22.6 percent.  The study was published on Thursday in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery.

Census Bureau data showed that the number of Americans 65 and above was 46.2 million in 2014. It is projected to reach 82.3 million by 2040, which is an expected increase from 14.5 to 21.7 percent of the population.

"That group is getting bigger, so hearing loss is going to affect more people," said Adele Goman, study co-author a postdoctoral & research at Johns Hopkins.

Health care services are urged to focus on rehabilitation the deaf by providing cost-effective ways to lessen the occurrence. The data showed that the problem might not go down anytime soon. Aside from the damage of noise pollution, use of prescription painkillers also causes hearing loss among the elderly according to i4u.

The issue needs immediate and intensive attention, it has to be resolved with accuracy and precision to stop the catastrophe from happening. Both private and public insurance will have to be arranged for. Hearing impairment should not be taken lightly, as it has many negative consequences.

The quality of life is lowered because of hearing loss. Communication becomes virtually impossible to carry out. Researchers point out that affordable interventions and accessibility to trained experts or specialists are more vital.