Sonus introduces PSA initiative to inform individuals of link between hearing loss and diabetes

May 9 2012

In conjunction with Better Speech and Hearing Month, Sonus, a national strategic partner of the American Diabetes Association, has launched a PSA initiative to inform individuals of the link between hearing loss and diabetes. The connection stems from solid research including a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, stating hearing loss is about twice as common in adults with diabetes compared to those who do not have the disease.

The PSA features a young, tattooed woman who appears to be a hipster with hobbies such as playing the guitar and bike riding. At the end of the video, she goes to her office and puts on her doctor's coat. The tagline then concludes with, "sometimes, people surprise us…our health risks shouldn't", followed by statistics on the hearing loss-diabetes connection. The goal of the PSA is to inform the large percentage of Americans diagnosed with diabetes, to get checked for hearing loss during yearly check-ups.

"As an organization dedicated to educating consumers about diabetes and raising awareness about the complications of the disease, we are excited that Sonus is helping to spread this important message about hearing loss," said Larry Hausner, CEO, American Diabetes Association.

Added Michele Fusco, Senior Vice President of Medical Operations at Amplifon, the parent company to Sonus: "The reality is that even the medical community is often unaware of the connection between diabetes and hearing loss. In fact, according to BetterHearing.org, less than 15% of physicians ask their patients about hearing problems. Our goal with this PSA is to 'flag' a common, undiagnosed problem so consumers can be proactive, and ask their doctor or audiologist for a routine hearing test."