University of Nottingham

A Lancet Commission study in 2020 estimated that hearing loss is associated with 8% of dementia cases worldwide. Now, a paper has analysed data from more than 400,000 people collected at the UK Biobank. Their findings show that the risk of developing dementia is 42% higher in people with hearing problems, but this increased risk disappears in those who use hearing aids. According to the authors, whose work is published in The Lancet Public Health, the data "highlight the urgent need to introduce hearing aids early when someone starts to experience hearing problems".