Hearing Impairment, Hearing Aid Use, and Cognitive Outcomes in Older Adults: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The 2024 Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention recognizes midlife hearing loss as a modifiable contributor to dementia risk. Hearing impairment affects approximately 68% of U.S. adults over 70 and is associated with accelerated cognitive aging, with a 25 dB hearing deficit linked to cognitive decline equivalent to 6.