Using a hearing aid helps people live longer by cutting the risk of early death by almost 25%, a study claims.
Hearing loss affects tens of millions of people around the world, but experts say that only one in 10 sufferers who need aids use them.
Study results showed a 24% difference in early mortality risk between regular hearing aid users and those who had never worn one.
US scientists did not look at why hearing aids may help those who need them live longer, but pointed to recent research linking their use with lowered levels of depression and dementia.
Study leader Dr Janet Choi said: “These results are exciting because they suggest that hearing aids may play a protective role in people’s health and prevent early death.
“There was no difference in mortality risk between non-regular users and never users, indicating that occasional hearing aid use may not provide any life-extending benefit.”
Dr Choi, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, believes that improvements in mental health and cognition brought about by better hearing can give a boost to overall health, which may extend lifespans.
The researcher was born with hearing loss in her left ear but did not wear a hearing aid until her 30s.
She said cost, stigma and difficulty finding devices that fit and function well all present barriers.
As a result, she is working on an artificial intelligence-driven database that categorises hearing aid choices and tailors them to patient needs.
The study was published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity journal.