SynthesisBMC public health2025
Association of hearing loss with cognitive function and mental health in Africa: A systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Hearing-Functioning Problems Across High-Burden Adult Health Conditions in Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Pooled it
- Psychological well-being and mental health risks in deaf and hard of hearing youth: a systematic review.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Subjective Perceptions and Conceptualisations of Ageing and Disability in Ghana: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study.Public health challenges · 2026Article
- Tinnitus and occupational noise exposure among informal generator technicians in Nigeria: A pilot cohort study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo summarize the evidence for the associations between hearing loss and mental health and cognitive function in Africa.
methodsThis systematic review was prepared following the PRISMA guidelines. Cohort, case‒control and cross-sectional studies were considered for inclusion if they reported the prevalence of any mental health conditions or levels of cognitive functioning among persons with hearing loss/deafness in comparison to those without hearing loss. No age restriction was applied. Articles not published in English or not from the African subcontinent were excluded. The initial search yielded a total of 2,822 articles from electronic databases. After title, abstract and full-text screening, seven articles were found to be eligible, with a total of 2,761 participants across Africa.
resultsFive studies reported that hearing difficulties were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of poor mental health. Two studies reported on cognition, one on higher odds (2.22; 95%CI) of developing cognitive decline among persons with hearing difficulties than among those with normal hearing. The majority of studies were conducted among special populations (i.e., retirement homes and special schools), with most participants being female.
conclusionThis study revealed an increased risk of mental health disorders and/or cognitive decline for people with hearing impairment in African populations. However, the number of relevant studies is small, and more research is needed to provide evidence for public health interventions across the continent.
trial registrationPROSPERO-CRD42024520957.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.