Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sensorineural Hearing Impairment Among Patients with T2DM in Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia, 2022: A Multi-Centered Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Generally, people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in various countries experience a significant rate of sensorineural hearing impairment. Nonetheless, there is scant evidence of sensorineural hearing impairment among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Northwest Ethiopian. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence rate and contributing factors of sensorineural hearing impairment in type 2 diabetics at comprehensive and specialized referral hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was carried out from May 3, 2022, to June 14, 2022, on 846 study participants in Ethiopia, with a response rate of 99.65%. The research subjects were chosen by simple random sampling techniques. Data was gathered by using audiometric measurements and structured interview-administered questionnaires and then entered into EPI data version 4.6. Finally, it was exported to STATA 14 for analysis. Binary logistic regression, chi -square test, and odds ratio were done to verify the assumptions and degree of association. Ultimately, factors exhibiting a p -value < 0.05 with a 95% CI were regarded as significant predictors of hearing impairment. Results: The magnitude of sensorineural hearing impairment in this investigation was 50.49% (95% CI: 45.67%, 55.26%). Factors significantly associated with sensorineural hearing impairment were age (AOR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.14), hyperlipidemia (AOR=2.86, 95% CI: 1.05, 7.82), duration of diabetes (AOR=2.26, 95% CI: 1.26, 4.06), hypertension (AOR=1.94, 95% CI: 1.02, 3.69) and regular physical exercise (AOR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.68). Conclusions and Recommendations: In this study, relatively high rates of sensorineural hearing impairment were observed. Stakeholders should establish routine hearing screening, and participants will advise to incorporate regular physical exercise into their routines.