Hearing Loss, Not Tinnitus, Predicts Cognitive Performance in Hispanic/Latino Adults

Despite growing evidence linking sensory impairment and cognition, the role of tinnitus in cognitive aging remains unclear, particularly in Hispanic/Latino adults who have been historically underrepresented in this research. Our goal was to examine the associations among tinnitus, hearing loss, and cognitive performance in a large cohort of Hispanic/Latino adults and to determine whether tinnitus contributes...

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

Audiologists working with Hispanic/Latino adults should prioritise screening and management of hearing loss as a cognitive risk factor; tinnitus alone does not appear to independently predict cognitive decline in this population.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Isolating hearing loss — rather than tinnitus — as the independent cognitive predictor in Hispanic/Latino adults strengthens the case for culturally inclusive early hearing intervention as a potential dementia-prevention strategy.

✦ Key Points ✦

01In Hispanic/Latino adults, hearing loss independently predicts lower cognitive performance; tinnitus does not.
02Published in American Journal of Audiology, a peer-reviewed clinical journal.
03Contributes to growing evidence linking sensory impairment to cognitive aging.
04Findings are specific to Hispanic/Latino populations, an underrepresented group in audiology research.
05Results support prioritising hearing loss treatment over tinnitus management for cognitive outcomes in this group.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

Hearing loss, not tinnitus, is a stronger predictor of cognitive performance in Hispanic/Latino adults.

studysupported

Tinnitus does not independently predict cognitive performance in Hispanic/Latino adults.

studysupported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42993024
DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJA-26-00098.
Journal: American Journal of Audiology
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 2b
Population: Hispanic/Latino adults with varying degrees of hearing loss and tinnitus
Intervention: Presence and severity of hearing loss and/or tinnitus
Comparator: Tinnitus as a predictor of cognitive performance

Primary outcomes

Cognitive performance scores; Relative predictive strength of hearing loss vs. tinnitus for cognitive outcomes

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