Study authors included Professor Chen Shanquan from the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong and audiologist Associate Professor Dona Jayakody from UWA. Images: The University of Hong Kong and Dona Jayakody. A large international study has found that older adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids effectively may have a significantly lower risk of developing dementia....
This study adds meaningful observational evidence supporting consistent hearing aid use in older adults as a potential modifiable factor for dementia risk reduction — audiologists should reinforce adherence counselling, though causation is not yet established.
If confirmed by randomised trials, effective hearing aid use could represent one of the most scalable, non-pharmacological interventions available to reduce dementia incidence in ageing populations worldwide.
- 01Large international study links effective hearing aid use in older adults to reduced dementia risk.
- 02Research led by University of Hong Kong and University of Western Australia authors.
- 03Study emphasises 'effective' use, implying consistency and proper fitting matter — not just device ownership.
- 04Finding aligns with existing evidence that untreated hearing loss is a modifiable dementia risk factor.
- 05Observational design means causation cannot be definitively confirmed from this study alone.
Effective hearing aid use in older adults is linked to reduced dementia risk.
studypartially supported- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Older adults from multiple countries with hearing loss
- Intervention
- Effective hearing aid use
- Comparator
- Non-use or ineffective hearing aid use
Primary outcomes
Incidence of dementia