by Hearing loss affects a high percentage of the population but more than half, 60%, do not use hearing aid technology even though they need them. Approximately 4.6 million Spaniards, that is, 10% of the population, suffer from hearing loss or hearing disorders. Despite this communication difficulty, which begins to be visible after the age of 50, only 39%, approximately 4 out of every 10 affected, use hearing aids to improve their hearing, as reflected in the eurotrak study (2023), the largest among countries at the European level on hearing loss and use of hearing aids.
Those who don’t use hearing aids should make them one of their New Year’s resolutions, according to a new study from Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California (USA) published in ‘The Lancet Healthy Longevity’ showing that hearing aids reduce the risk of death by almost 25%.
«We found that adults with hearing loss who used hearing aids had a 24% lower risk of mortality than those who never used them.», says Janet Choi, principal investigator of the study. “These results are interesting because they suggest that hearing aids may play a protective role in people’s health and prevent premature death.”
Previous research has shown that untreated hearing loss can lead to a reduced life expectancy, as well as social isolation, depression and dementia. However, until now, there has been very little research examining whether hearing aid use can reduce the risk of death.
According to Choi, the study represents the most comprehensive analysis to date of the relationship between hearing loss, hearing aid use and mortality in the US.
The researchers used data compiled by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2012 to identify nearly 10,000 adults ages 20 and older who have passed audiometry evaluations, a test used to measure hearing ability, and who complete questionnaires about their hearing aid use.
The scientists monitored mortality for an average follow-up period of 10 years after their evaluations.
A total of 1,863 adults with hearing loss were identified. Of them, 237 were regular hearing aid users, while 1,483 admitted never using these devices. People who reported using the devices less than once a month or less frequently were categorized as non-regular users.
The researchers found that the nearly 25% difference in mortality risk between regular hearing aid users and never users remained stable, regardless of variables such as the degree of hearing loss (mild to severe); age, ethnicity, income, education and other demographic data; and medical history.
There was no difference in mortality risk between non-regular and never-users, indicating that occasional hearing aid use may not provide any life-prolonging benefit.
While the study does not examine why hearing aids may help those who need them live longer, Choi points to recent research linking hearing aid use to lower levels of depression and dementia. Thus, it is speculated that the improvements in mental health and cognition that come with better hearing may promote better overall health, which may improve life expectancy.
The researcher hopes that this study will encourage more people to use hearing aids, although she recognizes that factors such as cost, stigma and difficulty finding devices that fit and work well are barriers to their use.
