Psychosocial work environment, hearing impairment and health.
This article summarizes results from a study of hearing-impaired men and women in the labour force in Sweden. A questionnaire about psychosocial work environment (in accordance with the Demand-Control Model), health and wellbeing was sent out and answered by 445 hearing-impaired people, 20-64 years of age. A large reference group had previously answered the same questionnaire. The results indicate that imbalances between demand and control (i.e. high demand and low control, so-called high stress work type) is more common among hearing-impaired people than in the reference group. The outcome of the combination high demand and low control among hearing-impaired people is (much) worse than among hearing-impaired people with other work types (passive. active, low stress). Hearing-impaired people with the high-stress work type more frequently report bad physical health status and psychological wellbeing regarding a number of indicators There is, moreover, a tendency for women to be worse off than men. Our data suggest that those involved in audiological rehabilitation should pay great attention to hearing-impaired people with jobs that can be characterized as high stress.
Danermark
Berth
B
Ahlsén Research Institute, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden. Berth.Danermark@ivo.oru.se
Gellerstedt
Lotta Coniavitis
LC
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*