The World Health Organization has recently published updated guidelines on reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, marking an important public health development for hearing loss and hearing care.
The new guidance gives stronger recognition to hearing loss as a modifiable risk factor and to the potential role of hearing aids within broader dementia risk-reduction strategies.
Key points include:
- Up to 45% of dementia risk could be prevented or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors across the life course.
- Hearing loss is recognised as one of the factors that should be addressed as part of wider dementia risk-reduction strategies.
- Hearing aids may be offered to adults with hearing loss to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
- Access to hearing care should form part of a broader approach to prevention, cognitive health and healthy ageing.
The updated guidance provides stronger international backing for the recognition that unaddressed hearing loss has consequences beyond communication barriers. It reinforces the importance of timely, person-centred hearing care in supporting cognitive health, independence and healthy ageing.
This recognition must now be translated into action. Early identification and intervention need to be matched by affordable and equitable access to hearing aids, rehabilitation and continued professional support.
Governments and health systems must integrate hearing care into primary care, healthy-ageing strategies and dementia risk-reduction policies. Hearing loss must be recognised and addressed as a core public health priority, with access to quality hearing care available to everyone, regardless of age, income or where they live.
