|
|
Hearing Loss and early retirement | “hear-it.org”, the world largest website on hearing loss, brings the connection between hearing loss and early retirement into focus. “hear-it.org” provides detailed information on the difficulties encountered by many hearing impaired people on the job every day.
The below mentioned research results underline the importance of information and support to this group of people. And this is one of the reasons why Widex puts so much effort into increasing awareness about the psychological aspects of hearing loss.
Read more about the psychological aspects:
 Living with a hearing loss
Article 1: July 14, 2003, Denmark
Hearing loss forces people out of the job market | One in five hearing impaired people gives up on the job market and almost 15 percent feel so spent after work that they have nothing left for active leisure pursuits.
According to an extensive survey among 1,600 hearing impaired people by the Danish Institute for Social Research, many people find that their hearing loss is a barrier to full participation in the job market as well as their social life.
Hearing impaired people are leaving the job market at a much higher rate than their normal-hearing colleagues. In the hearing impaired group, 18% receive disability support. Among the general population, 7% receive disability support. In general, hearing impaired people have difficulty gaining a foothold in the job market. The unemployment rate among them is 7.5% as compared to the current general Danish unemployment rate of 4.8%.
Most hearing impaired people do well in their work, but their hearing problem often results in difficulty conducting phone conversations and taking part in discussions with colleagues. As many as 77% of the respondents said they have trouble conversing with several colleagues at a time.
The communications obstacles often make the normal workday psychologically and physically demanding, making the hearing impaired employees feel exhausted by the end of the workday. Forty-seven percent of them say they suffer from mental exhaustion as compared to 36% among the general population, and 51% complain of occasional physical exhaustion as compared to 31% among the general population.
In general, the survey indicates a higher risk of burn-out among hearing impaired than among normal-hearing workers. Thirteen percent say they lack the energy to pursue leisure activities outside their work, and the prevalence of mental and other problems is three times higher among hearing impaired workers compared to the general population.
Source: "Når hørelsen svigter. Om konsekvenserne af hørenedsættelse i arbejdslivet, uddannelsessystemet og for den personlige velfærd."Det danske Socialforskningsinstitut, 2003. ("When hearing fails: Impact of hearing loss on work, education and personal health." The Danish Institute for Social Research, 2003.)
Article 2: February 26, 2003, Denmark
One in ten in Danish work place is hearing impaired | Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in Denmark, according to a study from the Danish Institute for Social Research. Hearing impairment is most prevalent among the elderly, but in Denmark the affliction is so widespread that it affects one Dane out of 10 in the work place.
The level of work satisfaction is as high among the hearing impaired as it is among the general population. But according to the study, hearing impaired people more often suffer from mental or physical strain from their jobs. They expend more energy keeping up with the demands from their work and more than others in the work place they are subjected to being bullied or teased.
Even when wearing hearing aids, engaging in conversation is difficult in work environments with background noise and hearing impaired employees often must concentrate harder on their tasks than their colleagues. This, in turn, increases their susceptibility to burn-out and early retirement, adding furthers pressures to a group that also suffers twice the unemployment rate as the rest of society.
According to the report, 800.000 Danes in a population of 5.5 million suffer from hearing loss to such a degree that they have trouble communicating with more than one person at a time.
Source: Jyllands-Posten, 13. februar 2003.
Get more updates about hearing loss topics at:
www.hear-it.org
|
 Combines sophisticated, proven technology with the most comfortable and discreet design. |
Provides you with a broad and solid base of information about: sound and hearing, hearing loss, hearing aids as well as feelings and prejudices.
 Personally tailored sound that satisfies the individual user's needs. |
 Visit our site for children and play with Dexi – the playful little whale. |
|