Summary of Hearing Aids Could Help Fend Off Dementia:
Using hearing aids may protect against the higher risk of dementia associated with hearing loss, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health. The study found that individuals experiencing hearing loss but not using hearing aids had a 1.7% risk of dementia, compared to 1.2% among those without hearing loss or using hearing aids. The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and Care has suggested that hearing loss may be linked to around 8% of worldwide dementia cases, making the study’s findings potentially significant. The authors call for increased public awareness, reduced costs, and more support for primary care workers to screen for hearing impairment and deliver treatment, such as fitting hearing aids.
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Using Hearing Aids Could Protect Against Dementia Risk
A new study published in The Lancet Public Health has suggested that using hearing aids may reduce the risk of dementia associated with hearing loss. The study analyzed data from 437,704 participants and found that individuals experiencing hearing loss but not using hearing aids had a 1.7% risk of dementia, compared to 1.2% among those without hearing loss or using hearing aids. The study’s authors have called for increased public awareness, reduced costs, and more support for primary care workers to screen for hearing impairment and provide treatment.
Hearing Loss Linked to Dementia
Dementia and hearing loss are common conditions among older adults. The Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care, published in 2020, suggested that hearing loss may be linked to around 8% of worldwide dementia cases. This new study suggests that hearing aids could be a minimally invasive, cost-effective treatment to mitigate the potential impact of hearing loss on dementia. Furthermore, addressing hearing impairment could be a crucial way to reduce the global burden of dementia.
Study Findings
The researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank database, which included information on hearing loss and the use of hearing aids. The average age of the participants at recruitment was 56 years old, and the average follow-up time was 12 years. Around three-quarters of the participants had no hearing loss, and the remaining one-quarter had some hearing loss. Among those with hearing loss, 11.7% used hearing aids.
After controlling for other factors, the study suggests that, compared to participants with normal hearing, people with hearing loss not using hearing aids had a 42% higher risk of all-cause dementia. At the same time, no increased risk was found in people with hearing loss who used hearing aids. This is approximately equivalent to a 1.7% risk of dementia in people with hearing loss who are not using hearing aids, compared to 1.2% among those without hearing loss or who are experiencing hearing loss but using hearing aids.
Urgent Need for Early Introduction of Hearing Aids
The researchers concluded that their findings highlight the urgent need for the early introduction of hearing aids when someone starts to experience hearing impairment. Hearing loss may begin early in one’s 40s, and there is evidence that gradual cognitive decline before a dementia diagnosis can last 20 to 25 years. Close to four-fifths of people experiencing hearing loss do not use hearing aids in the UK. The authors call for a group effort from across society to raise awareness of hearing loss and its potential links with dementia, increase accessibility to hearing aids by reducing costs, provide more support for primary care workers to screen for hearing impairment, and deliver treatment such as fitting hearing aids.
Compelling Evidence for Treating Hearing Loss
Professor Gill Livingston and Dr. Sergi Costafreda, University College London, who was not involved in this research, commented that the evidence that hearing aids are a powerful tool to reduce the risk of dementia in people with hearing loss is as good as possible without randomized controlled trials. They suggest that hearing aids’ use to prevent dementia is cost-effective and costs saving. In the USA, hearing aids have become available to purchase over the counter, making them more accessible.
Final Thoughts
This study suggests that hearing aids may reduce the risk of dementia associated with hearing loss. The authors highlight the urgency for the early introduction of hearing aids when someone starts to experience hearing impairment. They call for increased public awareness, reduced costs, and more support for primary care workers to screen for hearing impairment and provide treatment. There is a need for more research to establish a causal relationship between hearing loss and dementia risk and identify the underlying pathways that link hearing aid use and reduced dementia risk.
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