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Hearing Loss and Falls
Brian Sheng Yep Yeo, Vanessa Yee Jueen Tan, Jia Hui Ng, Joyce Zhi’en Tang, Brenda Ling Hui Sim, Yu Ling Tay, Anupama Roy Chowdhury, Abel P. David et al.. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, 2025-03-20
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
A total of 5 071 935 participants were included from 27 studies; approximately 49.2% of participants were female, and 14 studies were conducted in Asia, 7 in North America, 3 in Europe, and 3 in Oceania, represented by Australia. Patients with HL exhibited an increased cross-sectional odds of falls (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.37-1.67; I2 = 64%) and longitudinal risk of falls (risk ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29; I2 = 69%) than those without HL. Further stratification by self-reported or validated hearing assessments, fall reporting duration, continent, community-dwelling adults, and studies adjusting for other sensory deficits identified as fall risk factors by the World Falls Guideline did not change significance. These results remained robust to sensitivity analyses, and publication bias was absent. Conclusions and Relevance: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that overall, HL may be a risk factor for falls. With a rapidly aging global population, it is crucial to acknowledge the public health concerns surrounding falls and consider if HL could be a potentially modifiable risk factor. Nonetheless, further randomized clinical trials are needed to elucidate any benefit of treating HL on fall prevention.
Key findings
- A total of 5 071 935 participants were included from 27 studies; approximately 49.2% of participants were female, and 14 studies were conducted in Asia, 7 in North America, 3 in Europe, and 3 in Oceania, represented by Australia.
- Patients with HL exhibited an increased cross-sectional odds of falls (odds ratio, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.37-1.67; I2 = 64%) and longitudinal risk of falls (risk ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.06-1.29; I2 = 69%) than those without HL.
- Further stratification by self-reported or validated hearing assessments, fall reporting duration, continent, community-dwelling adults, and studies adjusting for other sensory deficits identified as fall risk factors by the World Falls Guideline did not change significance.
- These results remained robust to sensitivity analyses, and publication bias was absent.
- Conclusions and Relevance: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that overall, HL may be a risk factor for falls.
Why it matters
This review is about hearing loss and falls, not Alzheimer's disease, so it provides no information on Alzheimer's treatment, cure or prevention. It found that people with hearing loss had higher odds and risk of falls, and notes that randomized trials are still needed to see whether treating hearing loss prevents falls.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Participants935
- Effect size49.2%
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 68/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery: journal h-index 107 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 935 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomisation is not credited here |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 21 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 6 / 6 | Cited 46.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 21 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Steven D. Rauch: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40111358) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 68 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Yeo, B. S. Y., Tan, V. Y. J., Ng, J. H., Tang, J. Z., Sim, B. L. H., Tay, Y. L., et al. (2025). Hearing Loss and Falls. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2025.0056
Vancouver
Yeo BSY, Tan VYJ, Ng JH, Tang JZ, Sim BLH, Tay YL, et al. Hearing Loss and Falls. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2025.0056. PMID: 40111358.
BibTeX
@article{yeo2025-40111358,
author = {Yeo, Brian Sheng Yep and Tan, Vanessa Yee Jueen and Ng, Jia Hui and Tang, Joyce Zhi’en and Sim, Brenda Ling Hui and Tay, Yu Ling and Chowdhury, Anupama Roy and David, Abel P. and others},
title = {{Hearing Loss and Falls}},
journal = {JAMA Otolaryngology–Head \& Neck Surgery},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1001/jamaoto.2025.0056},
pmid = {40111358},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2025.0056}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.