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Public awareness of the hearing loss-dementia link and self-reported behavioral changes in middle- to older-aged Canadians
Bobbitt, S.; Mathiesen, S. L.; Binns, M.; Herrmann, B.. medRxiv (preprint), 2026-09-26
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
Hearing loss is a potential risk factor for dementia, but public awareness of this link and its behavioral implications remain poorly understood. In a cross-sectional survey, 1,404 Canadians aged 44-97 years completed measures of awareness, subjective hearing and cognition, dementia-related concerns, perceptions of the link, and demographics. 28% of people were aware of the hearing loss-dementia link. Of these, 17% were more inclined to seek/continue hearing-loss treatment. Awareness and self-reported behavioral responses were over twice as prevalent in a health-engaged subsample. Education, dementia concern, older age, and female gender were associated with awareness. Among aware participants, dementia concern, poorer subjective cognition, and confidence in understanding the link, but not education, were associated with reported treatment inclination. Awareness thus follows socioeconomic and demographic gradients, but these alone do not appear to ensure behavior change. Communication may need to reach beyond health-engaged groups and prioritize accurate understanding over awareness.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
This is a cross-sectional study. Only 28% of surveyed Canadians knew about the link between hearing loss and dementia, and of those, 17% said they were more likely to seek or continue hearing treatment. This suggests public awareness is low and that simply knowing about the link may not be enough to change behavior, but it does not test whether treating hearing loss prevents dementia.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bobbitt, S., Mathiesen, S. L., Binns, M., & Herrmann, B. (2026). Public awareness of the hearing loss-dementia link and self-reported behavioral changes in middle- to older-aged Canadians. medRxiv (preprint). https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.12.26343953
Vancouver
Bobbitt S, Mathiesen SL, Binns M, Herrmann B. Public awareness of the hearing loss-dementia link and self-reported behavioral changes in middle- to older-aged Canadians. medRxiv (preprint). 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.01.12.26343953.
BibTeX
@article{bobbitt2026-bec3301c,
author = {Bobbitt, S. and Mathiesen, S. L. and Binns, M. and Herrmann, B.},
title = {{Public awareness of the hearing loss-dementia link and self-reported behavioral changes in middle- to older-aged Canadians}},
journal = {medRxiv (preprint)},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.01.12.26343953},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.01.12.26343953}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Education, dementia concern, older age, and female gender were associated with awareness.
- Among aware participants, dementia concern, poorer subjective cognition, and confidence in understanding the link, but not education, were associated with reported treatment inclination.
Why it matters
Only 28% of surveyed Canadians knew about the link between hearing loss and dementia, and of those, 17% said they were more likely to seek or continue hearing treatment. This suggests public awareness is low and that simply knowing about the link may not be enough to change behavior, but it does not test whether treating hearing loss prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 22 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on impact for its field and year, so that was left out: it earned 21 of the 94 points we could judge it on, which is 22 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (medRxiv (preprint)) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Björn Herrmann: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Baycrest Academy for Research and Education: institution h-index 104 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 21 / 94 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 94 points we could judge it on is 22 out of 100. |
| Total | 22 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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