The medical audiometer devices market was valued at US$ 129.58 million in 2021, and it is expected to reach US$ 175.73 million by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2021 to 2028.

The growth of the medical audiometer devices market is attributed to factors such as growing prevalence of hearing disorders and rising geriatric population. However, the market is likely to get negatively impacted by the shortage of trained professionals for using audiometers.

Medical audiometers are devices used to assess the level of hearing and measure and diagnose the severity of the hearing loss. Audiometers are made up of embedded hardware and a feedback button for the test participant that is connected to a pair of headphones. A regular PC is used to control this system. Audiometry is a technique for determining a person's hearing capacity. Types of audiometry procedures include immittance audiometry, pure tone audiometry, evoked response audiometry, and speech audiometry. Various technological advancements have led to the development of hybrid audiometers and PC-based audiometers to communicate and improve quality of life.

The prevalence of hearing disorders is increasing across the world. Hearing disorders can lead to impairment of hearing sounds of greater than 40 decibels (dB) in the better-hearing ear in adults and greater than 30 dB in the better-hearing ear in children. Hearing disorders can be a hereditary or congenital disability, or they can be caused due to infectious disease, chronic ear infection, exposure to excessive noise, and old age. Infections in childhood such as measles, mumps, and meningitis; exposure to excessive or prolonged noise; and chronic otitis media are also responsible for hearing impairment. Hearing loss has become the most common disease in patients, especially in industrialized countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ~5% of the world's population has disabled hearing. The number of people living with this medical condition is expected to reach over 900 million by 2050. Similarly, according to the Hearing Industries Association, more than 4.22 million hearing aids were distributed in the US in 2019, registering a 6.5% increase over the number reported in 2018.

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) report, Hearing Loss Facts and Statistics 2018, ~48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss. It also mentioned that 2-3 out of every 1,000 children in the US are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. According to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ~16% of adults in the US report hearing trouble, and 1 out of 5 men and 1 out of 8 women reported having some kind of hearing trouble. The prevalence of hearing loss is twice as common as diabetes or cancer. ~11% of Americans report tinnitus or ringing in the ears.

Thus, the increasing prevalence of hearing disorders and hearing loss among the population is boosting the sales of medical audiometers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become the most significant challenge across the world. As this pandemic has stressed healthcare systems across the globe, prioritizing the limited resources was essential to minimize hospital admissions. However, market players have adopted an innovative approach of tele-audiology solutions to deal with hearing loss patients. For instance, Satellite Tele-Audiology Solutions, part of the Inventis company, is said to be the first technology of its kind. This technology allows audiologists to interact and remotely perform complete hearing assessments with their patients in real-time. Such developments by the leading market players have resulted in the minimal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical audiometer devices market.

Based on type, the medical audiometer devices market is segmented into hybrid audiometers, standalone audiometers, and PC-based audiometer. The PC-based audiometer segment would account for the largest market share in 2021, and the hybrid audiometers segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Based on end user, the medical audiometer devices market is segmented into hospitals and clinics, research centers, and diagnostic centers. The hospitals and clinics segment would hold the largest share of the market in 2021, and the same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period.

National Institute on Deafness and Communication, Hearing Loss Association of America, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, National Health Service, the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of various countries are among the major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing this report.