Training and employment in hearing-impaired subjects at 20-35 years of age

This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the training and the employment situation in a cohort of hearing-impaired subjects born between 1955 and 1970. A sample of 288 persons was collected from 33,352 consecutive patients with hearing thresholds > 20 dB HL in at least one pure-tone frequency (250-8000 Hz) in one (right/left) ear and all living in the city of Copenhagen at the time of data collection. The total sample of 288 persons was divided into two groups according to age at onset of their hearing impairment: group 1 comprised 165 persons with congenital/early acquired hearing loss (before 2 years of age); group 2 comprised 123 subjects with acquired hearing loss (after 2 years of age), acting as a reference group. A questionnaire was mailed to all 288 subjects meeting the inclusion criteria, achieving 218 responses (76%). The questionnaire evaluated the educational and employment situation and revealed significant differences, training within crafts being more common in group 1 in contrast to training at university level being more common in group 2. A frequency of 31%/29% respectively of unemployment at the time of the questionnaire was found in the two hearing-impaired groups, compared with 12% in an age-matched background population. A subdivision according to hearing thresholds indicated that the degree of hearing loss is of importance for education at university level. A question concerning general well-being showed that the majority of hearing-impaired persons, irrespective of age of onset of their hearing impairment, are satisfied with their life.