The Memphis SOUND Project
The Memphis SOUND Project: Advancing Hearing Health Through Community Partnership
Communication connects us, so much that “communication” and “community” come from the same root word. Yet many adults live with untreated hearing loss, which can make communication harder and affect overall health, memory, and wellbeing. Hearing aids and cochlear implants can make a big difference, but fewer than 15% of adults who could benefit from them actually use them.
In Memphis, this gap is especially concerning. Black adults are more likely to experience hearing-related health issues but are less likely to receive hearing care. The Memphis SOUND Project was created to change that.
Led by the Cochlear Implant Research Lab at the University of Memphis, the Memphis SOUND Project (Serving Our Underrepresented Neighbors who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing) is a community-based research effort that brings together residents, researchers, and healthcare professionals to better understand—and overcome—the barriers that make hearing care harder to access.
What makes this work different is how it’s done: with the community, not just in it. The project partners with Black faith-based organizations and local leaders to explore how hearing health can be supported where people already gather and trust is already strong. Together, we’re identifying real-world solutions that reflect the experiences and values of the community itself.
Our Community Advisory Board helps guide this work. Its members include healthcare providers, community leaders, Deaf and Hard of Hearing advocates, and people with personal experience navigating hearing loss. Their voices ensure that our research stays meaningful, respectful, and useful for those it’s meant to serve.
The Memphis SOUND Project takes its name from The Memphis Sound—the soul music that put our city on the map. Blending gospel, blues, and rhythm, it told stories of struggle and joy, resilience and hope. That spirit inspires our work. Just as Memphis music broke barriers and brought people together through sound, the Memphis SOUND Project seeks to restore connection through communication—helping more people hear, be heard, and fully participate in the rhythm of everyday life.
The Memphis SOUND Project: What We’re Learning
Early findings from the Memphis SOUND Project highlight both the challenges and strengths within our community.
Through interviews with Black adults in Memphis who have hearing loss, we learned that people value hearing and communication deeply—but face barriers that make care hard to reach. These include limited access to affordable hearing services, uncertainty about where to start, and experiences of feeling dismissed or unheard in healthcare settings.
At the same time, participants emphasized resilience, faith, and community as powerful sources of support. Trust and connection matter deeply, and when information and services are shared through familiar and trusted sources, people are more likely to take that next step toward care.
These insights are helping us design the next phase of the Memphis SOUND Project, focused on community-based hearing screenings and education led by our Faith Champions.
Learn more about this research in our recent publication in Otology & Neurotology.