In September 2015, the James Lind Alliance completed the mild to moderate hearing loss Priority Setting Partnership:

Mild to moderate hearing loss: Top 10

1. What adverse effects are associated with not treating mild to moderate hearing loss in adults?
2. Does the early fitting of hearing aid(s) result in increased patient benefit and/or improved cost-effectiveness of the service?
3. Does the early fitting of hearing aids slow the rate of cognitive decline?
4. What are the reasons for low hearing aid uptake, use and adherence?
5. Can new technologies replace hearing aids?
6. Can stem cell therapy offer a cure for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults?
7. Does early identification, diagnosis and treatment of mild to moderate hearing loss prevent further deterioration of hearing?
8. Could new developments to digital hearing aids offer improved speech perception in noisy environments?
9. How realistic are hearing tests for assessing the everyday hearing abilities of adults with mild to moderate hearing loss?
10. Could the use of real-world sounds to help program hearing aids in clinic (rather than tones or beeps) improve hearing aid effectiveness?

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