Self-reported hearing difficulties, main income sources, and socio-economic status; a cross-sectional population-based study in Sweden

Abstract

BackgroundHearing difficulties constitute the most common cause of disability globally. Yet, studies on people with hearing difficulties regarding socio-economic status (SES), work, long-term unemployment, sickness absence, and disability pension are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the main income sources of men and women of working ages with and without self-reported hearing difficulties and associations with gender, age, SES, type of living area, and country of birth.MethodsA cross-sectional population-based study, using information on self-reported hearing difficulties and SES of 19 045 subjects aged 20–64 years participating in Statistics Sweden’s annual Living Conditions Surveys in any of the years 2004 through 2008. The information was linked to a nationwide database containing data on demographics and income sources. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, using binary logistic regression analysis.ResultsHearing difficulties increased with age and were more common in men (age-adjusted OR: 1.42 (95% CI: 1.30-1.56)) with an overall prevalence of 13.1% in men and 9.8% in women. Using working men as reference, the OR of having hearing difficulties was 1.23 (0.94-1.60) in men with unemployment benefits and 1.36 (1.13-1.65) in men with sickness benefits or disability pension, when adjusting for age and SES. The corresponding figures in women were 1.59 (1.17-2.16) and 1.73 (1.46-2.06). The OR of having sickness benefits or disability pension in subjects with hearing difficulties was 1.36 (1.12-1.64) in men and 1.70 (1.43-2.01) in women, when adjusting for age and SES and using men and women with no hearing difficulties as reference.ConclusionsHearing difficulties were more prevalent in men. After adjustment with age and SES as well as with type of living area and country of birth, a significant association with unemployment benefits was found only in women, and the associations with long-term sickness absence and disability pension tended to be stronger in women.

Subjective and Clinically Assessed Hearing Loss; A Cross-Sectional Register-Based Study on a Swedish Population Aged 18 through 50 Years

“…In the present investigation, subjective hearing impairment was common, with 18.5% of the men and 14.8% of the women reporting slightly impaired hearing (Q1), and about one in four men and women reporting hearing difficulties when talking with several people (Q3). In a recent study on a population representative of the adult Swedish population, the prevalence of subjective hearing impairment was 9.7% in men and 8.3% in women aged 20 through 54 years [ 1 ]. Lower age-specific prevalences were also obtained in three other recent studies, on Swedish women [ 32 ] and young American adults [ 24 , 28 ], respectively.…”

“…Recent large-scale questionnaire studies have reported an increasing prevalence of subjective hearing impairment in young and middle-aged people [ 1 ]. Questionnaire data on hearing problems are however often difficult to interpret, because responses may be affected by many factors, including sensory cell function [ 2 ], general health [ 3 ], symptom severity [ 4 ], culture [ 5 ], expectations [ 6 ], and labor market participation [ 4 ].…”

“…We found that subjective hearing impairment predicted PTA hearing loss, provided that age, sex, tinnitus, and sound stimulus frequency were included in the models. Thus, should the increase in self-reported hearing problems continue [ 1 ], there is cause for concern about the future hearing of young to middle-aged people.…”

Älter, hörbeeinträchtigt und…. erwerbstätig!

“…Helvik et al 2012;Hogan et al 2009;Friberg et al 2012;Nachtegaal et al 2012;Pierre et al 2012) daraufhin, dass bei Menschen mit einer Hörbeeinträchtigungen eine niedrigere Erwerbsbeteiligung, höhere Arbeitslosenquoten und höhere Frühberentungsquoten festzustellen sind als bei Menschen ohne Hörbeeinträchtigungen. Besonders davon betroffen zeigen sich dabei die höheren Altersgruppen.…”

Relationship between Otolaryngologic Complaints and Systemic Comorbidities Observed in a Group of Hearing Aid Users

“…Although some recent studies have shown declines in the prevalence of hearing impairment in recent generations, 1 2 according to World Health Organization global estimates, it still represents the most common sensory disorder in the world, with 328 million adults having disabling hearing loss (hearing thresholds above 40 dB), which can impair their quality of life and potentially result in feelings of isolation, loneliness, and frustration due to communication difficulties, economic participation, and lack of access to services. 3 4 However, even in developed countries, it is estimated that less than 1 in 40 people who need hearing aids have access to them. 3…”