Reducing a barrier to diabetes education: identifying hearing loss in patients with diabetes.

PURPOSE

Recent research suggests that hearing loss, a frequent problem for aging adults, is more prevalent in people with diabetes. Hearing impairment affects a patient's learning. This article reviews the anatomy and physiology involved in hearing, describes common causes of hearing loss in people with diabetes, and describes how hearing loss is diagnosed and treated. Two simple tests the diabetes educator can use to screen for hearing loss are described, and interventions that improve communication with patients with difficulty hearing are explained.

CONCLUSIONS

Hearing loss can negatively affect a patient's ability to actively participate in diabetes education. Diabetes educators have a responsibility to learn how to communicate better with their patients who have a hearing impairment. Diabetes educators are uniquely positioned to improve the health status of their patients by identifying persons who need referral for further evaluation of their hearing.