A hypothetical intervention on the use of hearing aids for the risk of dementia in people with hearing loss in UK Biobank.

ABSTRACT: Observational studies have reported that hearing aid (HA) use is associated with a reduced risk of dementia diagnosis, suggesting a possible protective effect. However, extant observational studies do not explicitly model causal effects, while randomized controlled trials on the effect of HA on dementia exhibit short follow-up. Here we used self-report, hearing tests, and healthcare records in UK Biobank to design a hypothetical intervention for the effect of HA use on the risk of dementia diagnosis in people with incident hearing loss. HA users exhibited a higher risk of dementia diagnosis than nonusers (risk ratio: 1.43; 95% CI, 1.08-1.88). Associations between HA use and dementia diagnosis were robust across sensitivity analyses (risk ratio: 1.34-1.59), but adjustment for primary health

SUBMITTER: Mur J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12527245 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature