Hearing impairment is one of the most common health issues among adults in Western countries. Socioeconomic status and level of family support are known to influence help-seeking among older hearing-impaired individuals. Although hearing loss can have significant adverse effects on an individual's quality of life, these effects have been found to be reversible through the use of hearing aids. Even short-time use has been found to improve the emotional and social experience of hearing impaired subjects. Unfortunately, of the approximately 200 000 people who have been provided with hearing aids in Norway, it is estimated that as many as 20-40% seldom or never use them. Lack of follow-up support and low motivation may explain why hearing impaired people do not use their hearing aids, but few research studies have addressed these issues.