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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Public Health

Self-reported hearing-related symptoms among adults with diabetes: a cross-sectional study

  • Beata Stepanow1,2
  • Joanna Partyka2,3
  • Weronika Ciszak2,4
  • Anna Marcinkowska-Gapińska4
  • Piotr Wolski1,2
  • Katarzyna Karpus2,5
  • Dagna Rudnik2,5
  • Elzbieta Krupińska2,6
  • Leszek Czupryniak7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Centre for Education and Specialized Medical Care
  2. 2Polish Diabetes Education Association
  3. 3Metabolica Sp. z o.o.
  4. 4Department of Biophysics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences
  5. 5Gemini ProMed Medical Center Sp. z o.o.
  6. 6Department of Nursing, Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa
  7. 7Department of Diabetology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw
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Abstract

Introduction: Hearing impairment has been increasingly recognized as being associated with diabetes mellitus. Although previous studies have demonstrated a higher prevalence of hearing loss among people with diabetes, less is known about self-reported hearing-related symptoms and their association with demographic and clinical characteristics among adults with diabetes.

Purpose: To assess the burden of self-reported hearing-related symptoms among adults with diabetes and examine their associations with age, sex, and diabetes duration.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first half of 2022 among 128 adults with diabetes. Data were collected using an author-developed questionnaire constructed based on a review of the literature addressing hearing-related symptoms and their everyday and social consequences. The questionnaire was not formally validated. A Hearing-Related Symptom Score was calculated from seven self-reported symptom questions (range, 0–7). Multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to examine associations between the Hearing-Related Symptom Score and age, sex, and diabetes duration.

Results: The mean age was 51.19 years (SD, 16.88), and the median Hearing-Related Symptom Score was 4 (range, 0–7). In the multivariable model ( n = 127), older age was independently associated with a higher symptom score (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03; P < 0.001), while male sex was associated with a lower symptom score than female sex (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.69–0.99; P = 0.037). Diabetes duration was not independently associated with symptom score (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.02; P = 0.170). Age remained positively associated with symptom burden in both women and men; however, the age-by-sex interaction was not statistically significant ( P = 0.501).

Conclusion: Self-reported hearing-related symptom burden was associated with age and sex, but not independently with diabetes duration after adjustment. Findings should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design, convenience sampling, self-reported data, and use of a non-validated questionnaire. Further studies using validated instruments and objective hearing assessment are warranted.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{stepanow2026selfreported,
  title = {{Self-reported hearing-related symptoms among adults with diabetes: a cross-sectional study}},
  author = {Beata Stepanow and Joanna Partyka and Weronika Ciszak and Anna Marcinkowska-Gapińska and Piotr Wolski and Katarzyna Karpus and Dagna Rudnik and Elzbieta Krupińska and Leszek Czupryniak},
  journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943385},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943385/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Self-reported hearing-related symptoms among adults with diabetes: a cross-sectional study
AU  - Beata Stepanow
AU  - Joanna Partyka
AU  - Weronika Ciszak
AU  - Anna Marcinkowska-Gapińska
AU  - Piotr Wolski
AU  - Katarzyna Karpus
AU  - Dagna Rudnik
AU  - Elzbieta Krupińska
AU  - Leszek Czupryniak
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Frontiers in Public Health
DO  - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943385
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943385/full
AB  - Introduction: Hearing impairment has been increasingly recognized as being associated with diabetes mellitus. Although previous studies have demonstrated a higher prevalence of hearing loss among people with diabetes, less is known about self-reported hearing-related symptoms and their association with demographic and clinical characteristics among adults with diabetes.  Purpose: To assess the burden of self-reported hearing-related symptoms among adults with diabetes and examine their associations with age, sex, and diabetes duration.  Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first half of 2022 among 128 adults with diabetes. Data were collected using an author-developed questionnaire constructed based on a review of the literature addressing hearing-related symptoms and their everyday and social consequences. The questionnaire was not formally validated. A Hearing-Related Symptom Score was calculated from seven self-reported symptom questions (range, 0–7). Multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to examine associations between the Hearing-Related Symptom Score and age, sex, and diabetes duration.  Results: The mean age was 51.19 years (SD, 16.88), and the median Hearing-Related Symptom Score was 4 (range, 0–7). In the multivariable model ( n = 127), older age was independently associated with a higher symptom score (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03; P < 0.001), while male sex was associated with a lower symptom score than female sex (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.69–0.99; P = 0.037). Diabetes duration was not independently associated with symptom score (adjusted ratio of expected symptom-score burden, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.02; P = 0.170). Age remained positively associated with symptom burden in both women and men; however, the age-by-sex interaction was not statistically significant ( P = 0.501).  Conclusion: Self-reported hearing-related symptom burden was associated with age and sex, but not independently with diabetes duration after adjustment. Findings should be interpreted cautiously given the cross-sectional design, convenience sampling, self-reported data, and use of a non-validated questionnaire. Further studies using validated instruments and objective hearing assessment are warranted.
SN  - 2296-2565
ER  -