Emerging evidence suggests that treating hearing loss may help slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk. But are we studying the right populations? A scoping review of 22 U.S.-based clinical trials involving hearing aids and cochlear implants found that 92% of participants were White, while Black (5.4%), Asian (0.1%), and Hispanic/Latino (0.05%) groups were severely underrepresented compared to U.S. Census data.
With an average participant age of 72 years, the studies also reported lower hypertension and diabetes rates than the national average, further questioning representativeness. These disparities highlight a critical gap: without diverse cohorts, we may be missing key insights into how hearing loss treatment impacts cognitive decline across different populations. To explore the full data and implications for clinical trial recruitment, read the full article now . How…
