Comparing occupational well-being between cochlear implant users and individuals with hearing loss or typical hearing

With this cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess whether cochlear implant (CI) users have different occupational well-being than individuals with hearing loss (HL) without CI (HL group) and those with typical hearing (TH). We used validated questionnaires to assess all outcomes.

We included 98 CI users (mean age 51 y), 52 HL group participants (mean age 49 y) and 54 TH group participants (mean age 46 y).

Capabilities, physical and psychosocial working conditions were similar overall across the three groups. However, compared to the HL group, the CI group had significantly better outcomes on a range of variables, reporting fewer psychosomatic symptoms, better health, higher acceptance of their HL, better verbal coping strategies, fewer interruptions during work, and lower perceived noise level. There were no variables indicating that CI users performed worse than their peers from the HL group.

Overall, CI users show occupational well-being and capabilities comparable to those of other groups. However, CI users appear to be more advanced in their progress towards acceptance of their HL, use of verbal coping strategies, are better adjusted at work, and report better health than individuals with HL without a CI.