Effects of Hearing Disability on the Employment Status Using WHODAS 2.0 in Taiwan.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Audiology
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Hearing impairment significantly impacts individuals' lives, affecting social participation and employment.
• The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule, Second Edition (WHODAS 2.0) is a comprehensive tool for measuring disability.
• Understanding factors associated with employment is crucial for supporting individuals with hearing impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between employment status and WHODAS 2.0 scores in working-age adults with disabling hearing impairment.
• To identify demographic and disability-related factors associated with unemployment among individuals with hearing impairment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 18,573 working-age individuals with disabling hearing impairment from the Taiwan Data Bank of Persons with Disability (TDPD).
• Utilizing WHODAS 2.0 scores across all domains and demographic information.
• Employing binary logistic regression to determine factors associated with unemployment.

Main Results:

• Unemployed individuals with disabling hearing impairment reported higher WHODAS 2.0 scores across all domains compared to employed individuals.
• Older age, female sex, lower educational attainment, institutional or rural residence, lower family income, and moderate to severe hearing impairment were significantly associated with unemployment.
• This large population-based study provides extensive data on employment status determinants.

Conclusions:

• Employment status in individuals with disabling hearing impairment is strongly linked to overall disability levels and various socio-demographic factors.
• Early identification of unemployment risk factors is essential for targeted interventions.
• Public health initiatives and government support are needed to enhance self-confidence, social participation, and psycho-social well-being for this population.