PLEASE NOTE: The study this post was originally based on was retracted.
Hearing Health Foundation originally shared a summary of a Lancet Public Health paper published in April 2023 that suggested hearing aid use may lower dementia risk for people with hearing loss. In December 2023 the journal retracted the study due to concerns about its data analysis, and the findings should not be considered reliable.
Here is the retraction notice from the editors of The Lancet Public Health, also copied below:
“On Nov. 27, 2023, we have been informed by the authors of the paper—Association between hearing aid use and all-cause and cause-specific dementia: an analysis of the UK Biobank cohort—published on April 13, 2023, that an error was introduced in the output format setting of their SAS codes (data for people with hearing loss using hearing aids and with hearing loss without using hearing aids were switched), leading to errors in their analysis which render their findings and conclusions false and misleading. These errors were identified by the authors following an exchange with scientists seeking to reproduce the authors’ findings. We are therefore retracting this Article.“
Because hearing loss and dementia are both common in older adults, the idea that treating hearing loss could help support healthy aging continues to be an active area of research. Although this study’s results are retracted, what remains important is the larger, well-established message echoed across many independent studies:
Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, communication challenges, and reduced quality of life.
Hearing aids are proven to improve communication, engagement, and day-to-day functioning for many people.
Retractions are part of the scientific process, and we value transparency. HHF will continue to follow high-quality research investigating how hearing health affects cognitive well-being, and we will share updates as stronger evidence emerges. We appreciate a reader in the comments below bringing this to our attention.
If you have questions about hearing loss or treatment options, HHF recommends speaking with your doctor or hearing care provider such as an audiologist or ENT.
For additional background, please read about the questions surrounding the data analysis here: “‘We should have followed up’: Lancet journal retracts article on hearing aids and dementia after prodding.”
See also a paper in the Journal of the American Geriatics Society that reviews the messaging around hearing loss and cognition.
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