Study	Reason for exclusion
Abrams 2002	ALLOCATION: not true randomisation, as patients were allocated by eligibility for VA funded hearing aids: those eligible for funding through the VA received hearing aids; those not eligible for hearing aids acted as controls.
Jerger 1992	ALLOCATION: non‐randomised controlled trial
Lavie 2015	ALLOCATION: non‐randomised controlled trial
Tolson 2002	ALLOCATION: randomised controlled trial PARTICIPANTS: definition of hearing loss does not meet the inclusion criterion
Yueh 2001	ALLOCATION: not true randomisation, as patients were allocated by eligibility for VA funded hearing aids: those eligible for funding through the VA received hearing aids; those not eligible for hearing aids acted as controls.

VA: Veterans Association