Hearing Aids May Lower Dementia Risk, Study Finds

By Adebowale Bello. B.Tech Microbiology, Freelance Health Writer. DLHA Fellow. Medically reviewed by the DLHA team.

March 28, 2026

An elderly African man fitting his hearing aid as he sits in his living room listening to his wife. Image Credit: Gemini AI

Hearing loss is a common problem for many older adults around the world. For Africans and others who live longer lives today than in previous generations, issues of aging such as memory problems and dementia are becoming more talked about. Dementia affects thinking, memory and daily functioning and can place a heavy burden on families and communities.

Recently, scientists asked an important question: Could treating hearing loss with hearing aids help preserve the brain and reduce the risk of dementia? A carefully conducted research study provides fresh evidence that hearing aids may be linked with better brain health outcomes. This blog explains what the study did, what it found and why the results matter for Africans and families everywhere.

About the Study

Researchers from Australia looked at a group of nearly 2,800 people who were about 75 years old on average and who had moderate hearing loss. None of the participants had used hearing aids before the study began. The scientists followed these men and women for about seven years to watch how their thinking skills and risk of dementia changed over time.

All participants took annual memory and thinking tests. Some were later prescribed hearing aids and researchers also asked them how often they used them. This allowed the team to compare people who began using hearing aids with those who did not. The study used standard research methods that attempt to imitate a clinical trial, even though people were not randomly assigned to use hearing aids. This approach helps balance out certain differences between groups, such as age, sex and overall health, to arrive at more reliable results.

What the Study Found

1. Memory and Thinking Test Results

One surprising finding was that average memory and thinking test scores were very similar between people who were prescribed hearing aids and those who were not. In other words, wearing hearing aids did not seem to improve scores on annual cognitive tests over the seven years.

This may sound disappointing but it is important to understand what these tests measure. They look at specific skills such as remembering lists of words or solving simple reasoning questions. These skills do not always capture the full benefits of improved communication or reduced strain on the brain.

2. Dementia Risk Was Lower

The truly interesting result came when the researchers looked at who developed dementia. Out of the whole group, 117 people developed dementia over seven years. After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, researchers found that:

• Among people prescribed hearing aids, about 5 in 100 developed dementia.
• Among people not prescribed hearing aids, about 8 in 100 developed dementia.

This difference suggests that using hearing aids was associated with about a 33 percent lower risk of developing dementia compared with not using them. In addition, the risk of overall cognitive decline, which includes both dementia and other forms of thinking difficulties, was about 15 percent lower among those with hearing aids. Finally, the more often people used their hearing aids, the lower their dementia risk seemed to be, suggesting a possible dose-response pattern.

What the Study Means for Africans

Hearing loss is not rare in African communities and many people may struggle to hear conversations, especially in noisy places like markets, family gatherings or public transport. Often this hearing loss goes unrecognised, is dismissed as normal aging or left untreated simply because hearing aids can be expensive or hard to access.

This study adds to growing evidence that addressing hearing loss could be an important part of healthy aging. While the study did not prove beyond doubt that hearing aids cause a reduction in dementia risk, the strength of the association suggests that hearing care may be a promising tool in protecting brain health.

Here are some ways this could apply to Africans:

• Treat Hearing Loss Before Memory Issues Start

Often, people only consider hearing aids when communication becomes very difficult. This study suggests that early use of hearing aids in people with moderate hearing loss might help reduce the chances of later cognitive problems.

• Social Engagement and Brain Stimulation Matter

People with hearing loss sometimes withdraw from conversations because it is hard to follow speech. This can lead to isolation, less mental stimulation and even low mood. Improved hearing can help keep people engaged in social life and mentally active, which are well-known supports for brain health.

• Hearing Aids Should Be More Accessible

In many parts of Africa, hearing testing and hearing aids are limited by cost and availability. Governments, health services and community health programmes could consider hearing services as part of broader health and aging support. Simple screening in primary care clinics could help identify people who would benefit from hearing support.

• Public Awareness Improves Health Outcomes

Most people do not realise that hearing loss could be linked with dementia risk. Sharing information like this study’s results with families and health workers can encourage earlier action and better support for older adults.

Limitations of the Study

It is also important to understand the limits of this study.

• First, the research was conducted in Australia where participants were generally healthy. Africans may have different health backgrounds, lifestyles and social factors that also affect dementia risk therefore, more research in African populations is needed for generalisation purposes.

• Second, the study did not measure a direct cause-and-effect link. People who choose to use hearing aids may also have other health-promoting behaviours, such as better nutrition or more physical activity and these behaviours could also influence brain health.

• Finally, while the results are encouraging, they do not suggest that hearing aids are a miracle solution. They should be seen as one part of a larger approach to protecting brain health, which includes managing blood pressure, staying physically active, eating and sleeping well and staying socially engaged.

Wrap Up

This new study adds valuable evidence that treating hearing loss with hearing aids could be linked with a lower risk of dementia in older adults. Although hearing aids did not change measured memory test scores, people who used them had a significantly lower chance of developing dementia over seven years.

For Africans and families around the world, this research highlights a simple yet often overlooked aspect of healthy aging. Caring for hearing, staying connected and seeking early help for hearing loss can be important steps towards protecting our minds as we age. Continued efforts to improve access to hearing care and public understanding of its benefits should be part of broader health strategies for older adults.

Source: Deal, J. A, Sharrett, A. R, Albert, M. S, Coresh, J, Mosley, T. H, Knopman, D, Wruck, L. M, Lin, F. R, et al. (2026). Treating hearing loss with hearing aids for the prevention of cognitive decline and dementia. (Abstract). Neurology. 2026 February 10. 106 (3) e214572. doi: 10.1212/WNL.00000000002145. Advance online publication. Available from here

Related:

Dementia: What Africans Need to Know

10 Things Africans Should Be Doing To Lower Dementia Risk

15 Modifiable Risk Factors of Dementia Africans Need to Know

Published: March 28, 2026

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