A U. S. audiologist says that people with diabetes are twice as likely to have hearing loss as those who do not have diabetes.

The National Institutes of Health landmark study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommended that all men and women with diabetes have their hearing tested, said Dr. Cindy Beyer, an audiologist and senior vice president of HearUSA, a hearing care and hearing aids company.

Beyer says in a statement," Based on the findings of the NIH study, 5 million Americans living with diabetes also have hearing loss that, in many cases, remains undetected and untreated."

Breyer further says that untreated hearing loss is serious. Studies have linked untreated hearing loss to fatigue, stress and depression, avoidance of social situations, reduced job performance and earning power, and diminished health.

During the month of March all hearing care centers in New York state owned by HearUSA company, will be offering free hearing-loss screenings to anyone with diabetes, along with a free 80-minute "Living With Diabetes" video which is produced by the American Diabetes Association. (With Input from Agencies)