Perspectives from older adults with hearing loss on the link between hearing loss and dementia

Objective: Research and public messaging increasingly highlights a potential link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. This study explores how older adults interpret, evaluate, and act upon messages linking hearing and cognition.Design: Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis followed the framework outlined by Braun and Clarke.Study Sample: Twenty-five adults aged 56–97 participated. Participants were Canadian residents with self-reported hearing difficulties. Results: Four themes were identified. Participants constructed meaning about the hearing loss–dementia link by integrating lived experience, personal theorizing, and interpretations of scientific or professional information (Theme 1: Making Sense of the Message). They evaluated the need for action, the modifiability of hearing and cognition, and the link’s personal relevance (Theme 2: Weighing the Need for Action). These interpretations influenced hearing health behaviours, including initial help-seeking, persistence with treatment, and disengagement (Theme 3: Impacts on Hearing Health Behaviours). Certainty and trust in evidence, clinicians, and the hearing healthcare system shaped participants’ interpretations and mediated their willingness to act (Theme 4: Certainty and Trust). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that public messages about hearing and cognition are filtered through personal and experiential frameworks, underscoring the importance of clear, balanced, and patient-centered communication when discussing hearing health and cognition.