What did you say? Could you speak more clearly?

Today, more than 11 million people across the UK suffer from hearing loss, which translates to about one-in-six people in the UK.Hearing loss is far beyond a sensory impairment, as has been associated with negative physical, social, cognitive, economic and emotional consequences. Because hearing loss nearly always develops gradually, people do not see it as a dramatic health problem requiring urgent intervention. Thus, persevere with declining hearing for approximately 15 years before they seek help and uptake a hearing aid.This pattern, along with a range of lifestyle and environmental factors, which are linked to the risk of hearing loss, are more common among lower socioeconomic groups. My project, funded by the NIHR Manchester BRC, will examine the relationship between socioeconomic inequality and the development of hearing impairment and the impact of hearing impairment on the lives of older adults in England, in terms of mental well-being, quality of life, social engagement and economic position, using longitudinal data.The aim is to inform health policy strategies to minimise socioeconomic risks for hearing impairment and access to hearing health services and hearing aid use, in order to mitigate the adverse effects of hearing impairment in older adults in England.