Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline: Policy Recommendations

Sample size: 18 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Hemrajani Girish, Dobbs Debra

Primary Institution: University of South Florida

Hearing loss in midlife may contribute to dementia, and addressing it could reduce cognitive decline.

Hearing interventions can reduce cognitive decline in older adults with hearing loss and may help prevent dementia.

Hearing loss is expected to grow from 38 million to 73 million cases by 2060.
Hearing loss in midlife accounts for 9% of dementia cases.
Hearing interventions can slow down cognitive decline in older adults.
One study showed hearing aids could have a 48% protective effect on cognitive changes.

If older people can't hear well, it might make their brains not work as well, but fixing their hearing could help them think better.

A systematic literature review of articles on hearing loss and cognitive decline published from January 2013 to June 2024.

The review included only articles published in English and had a limited number of relevant studies.

Older adults with hearing loss.

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