3674 Setting the research agenda for co-existing dementia and hearing conditions: a James Lind alliance priority setting partnership

Abstract Introduction Dementia and hearing conditions are both major public health concerns. Most people living with dementia also live with hearing conditions (e.g. hearing loss, vestibular disorders, hyperacusis). Furthermore, evidence suggests that hearing loss is a risk factor for the development of dementia. There is a critical need for research to explain the association between dementia and hearing conditions and to optimise assessments and interventions for this co-morbidity. This James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (JLA PSP) aimed to identify unanswered research questions about dementia and hearing conditions that are prioritised by people with lived experience and professionals from healthcare and social care. Method The participants were people living with hearing conditions and/or dementia, supporters (e.g. caregivers, relatives), clinicians, and social care professionals. A survey (N = 404) gathered 422 research questions proposed by participants, which were collated to form 47 summary research questions. An evidence-checking process confirmed that these questions had not been answered by previous research. A second survey (N = 560) produced a shortlist of 16 questions. At a final workshop (N = 19), the top ten questions were identified. The process was overseen by a steering group of people with lived experience, supporters, and clinicians. Results The prioritised research questions spanned diverse topics, including training for clinicians about this co-morbidity, routine health checks that incorporate hearing and cognition, dementia risk reduction strategies for people living with hearing loss, the impact of auditory and cognitive training on cognition, and potential mechanisms underlying the link between hearing loss and dementia. Conclusion This novel JLA PSP was the first to identify research priorities for two different, yet co-morbid, health conditions. It can help ensure that future research about dementia and hearing conditions addresses the priorities of those most impacted: people with lived experience, supporters, and clinicians. It has important implications for researchers, funders, commissioners, and clinicians.