Authors say findings support public health action to improve hearing aid access<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
THURSDAY, Jan. 12, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Moderate-to-severe hearing loss is associated with a higher prevalence of dementia among U.S. older adults, according to research published in the Jan. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/em>.<\/p>\n Alison R. Huang, Ph.D., from the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, and colleagues estimated the cross-sectional association of audiometric hearing loss and hearing aid use with dementia among community-dwelling older adults. The analysis included 2,413 Medicare beneficiaries.<\/p>\n The researchers found that the weighted prevalence of dementia was 10.27 percent and increased with increasing severity of hearing loss (normal hearing: 6.19 percent; mild loss: 8.93 percent; moderate-to-severe loss: 16.52 percent). Weighted hearing loss prevalence was 36.74 percent for mild and 29.79 percent for moderate-to-severe hearing loss. Participants with moderate-to-severe hearing loss were more likely to be older, male, and White and to have lower education levels versus individuals with mild hearing loss or normal hearing.<\/p>\n “Hearing aid use was associated with lower dementia prevalence, supporting public health action to improve hearing care access, including increased availability of affordable hearing aids,” the authors write.<\/p>\n One author disclosed financial ties to the biotechnology industry and Apple.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n