Kevin Munro is Ewing Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester, UK. Until, taking up the position as Director of the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme, he was Director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD), Deputy Director of the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre and theme lead for Hearing Health. He is an honorary Consultant Clinical Scientist at Manchester NHS Foundation Trust. He is the only audiologist to be awarded NIHR Senior Investigator status.
1.Your research emphasizes the importance of accurate messaging around hearing loss and hearing care. What are the key messages you would like to convey to key stakeholders like politicians or health insurances and to people living with hearing loss.
A priority for government ministers is the impact of the growing and ageing population on the health and care system. Ministers may be aware that hearing loss reduces our ability to communicate with ease, but they may not be aware that hearing loss: (i) is the third largest cause of disability, and (ii) has a wider impact on issues related to social participation and psychosocial health. Healthy hearing enables us to remain socially active and live independently for longer, reducing pressures on overstretched health and care systems. In addition, hearing loss impacts on educational attainment, workforce productivity and economic growth. The key message here is, “healthy hearing is central to healthy growing, living and ageing.”
The public, potential users of hearing services, may need the message framed differently to the one above. There is a need to raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of hearing loss on quality of life, and the proven benefits of hearing interventions in facilitating an active, independent, engaged, and healthy older age. For example, hearing loss places increased cognitive demands on listening, contributing to increased listening effort, slower response times and difficulty remembering and processing speech. The key message here is, “Hearing better helps you to live and think better.”
2.Your work promotes a positive message about hearing care, focusing on improved quality of life. Can you share some of the compelling findings that demonstrate the benefits of hearing aids?
The Cochrane library is a great place to start because it contains high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. Ferguson et al (2017) evaluated the effects of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate audiometric hearing loss. Studies were included and appraised if they compared adults who had been randomised to receive hearing aids or a control intervention. The findings (currently being updated) revealed a large beneficial effect of hearing aids in improving the ability to: (i) take part in everyday situations as well as (ii) listen to other people.
More recently, Tang et al (2025) summarised all the existing published reviews on the benefit of hearing aids for adults. The findings show that there are consistent benefits in terms of speech perception, improved communication function, reduced hearing handicap and self-reported benefit (but not cognition). In summary, the key message is, “If an adult seeks help for hearing difficulties, hearing aids are an effective option.”
3.Many people delay getting hearing aids despite the benefits. Based on your research, what would you say to someone who is hesitant about addressing their hearing loss?
Start by exploring listening difficulties that are specific to the individual and discuss personalised solutions together. General information for sharing includes explaining that hearing loss reduces our ability to communicate with ease and our brain may need to work harder to understand what is being said. These can be barriers to staying socially active and may reduce quality of life. The key message is “hearing aids have proven benefits including: (i) easier spoken communication, (ii) less effortful listening, (iii) staying socially active, and (iv) reducing the impact of hearing loss on quality of life.”
4.Looking ahead, what areas of hearing research do you think are most promising in terms of improving overall well-being?
Hearing loss has generally been under-researched, and there is a need to grow hearing research capability and build research capacity. That aside, examples of potentially transformative research projects include:
- Systematically collecting high-quality epidemiological (and clinical) data if a persuasive case is to be made to governments to recognise the needs of people with hearing loss (Whitty, 2023). Historical data may no longer be representative of the population due to general improvements in health and longevity, changes in long-term noise exposure, growth in obesity and diabetes, and greater population diversity.
- Investigating if it is possible to reduce age-related hearing loss (ARHL) by addressing modifiable lifestyle factors (Tang et al, 2023). Findings support a link between ototoxic chemical exposure, diet, obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity and smoking with ARHL.
- A better understanding of the nature of the connections between hearing health and well-being, including physical, psychological, emotional and social domains (e.g., falls, depression, cognitive function). Related to this is the need for research on hearing loss in the context of multiple long-term conditions.
- New pathways involving remote assessment of hearing health and the use of direct-to-consumer technology.
The key message is, “We are moving into an era of big research themes which can only be addressed by big transdisciplinary research teams.”
References
Chowdhary N, Barbui C, Anstey KJ, Kivipelto M, Barbera M, Peters R, Zheng L, Kulmala J, Stephen R, Ferri CP, Joanette Y. Reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO recommendations. Frontiers in neurology. 2022 Jan 10; 12:765584.
Ferguson MA, Kitterick PT, Chong LY, Edmondson‐Jones M, Barker F, Hoare DJ. Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2017(9).
Franks I, Timmer BH. Reasons for the non-use of hearing aids: Perspectives of non-users, past users, and family members. International Journal of Audiology. 2024 Oct 1;63(10):794-801.
Munro, Kevin J., Piers Dawes, and BSA, BAA and BSHAA. “Explaining the link between adult-onset hearing loss and dementia to individuals with hearing loss.” International Journal of Audiology (2025): 1-2.
Tang D, Tran Y, Bennett RJ, Lo C, Lee JN, Turner J, Gopinath B. The Benefits of Hearing Aids for Adults: A Systematic Umbrella Review. Ear and Hearing. 2025:10-97.
Tang D, Tran Y, Dawes P, Gopinath B. A narrative review of lifestyle risk factors and the role of oxidative stress in age-related hearing loss. Antioxidants. 2023 Apr 4;12(4):878.
Whitty C. Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2023: health in an ageing society – GOV.UK 2023 [cited 2023 Dec 6]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2023-health-in-an-ageing-society.
