Hearing Loss Linked to Lower Odds of Employment, Lower Income
THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 -- Hearing loss is associated with a reduced likelihood of employment and with lower income among young adults, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in Frontiers in Audiology and Otology.
Molly Jacobs, Ph.D., from the University of Florida in Gainesville, and colleagues examined differences in employment and income among young adults with hearing loss, tinnitus, and both using data from waves IV and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, including self-reported hearing loss for individuals aged 24 to 43 years.
The researchers found that 5.81 to 8.87 percent of respondents reported tinnitus only, 0.82 to 1.39 percent reported hearing loss only, and 0.54 to 1.41 percent reported both. Compared with White individuals, Black individuals were less likely to have paid employment and earned lower income (odds ratios [ORs], 0.72 and 0.85, respectively). No differences were seen in the likelihood of employment/income between those with tinnitus/both conditions versus those with no difficulties; the likelihood of paid employment and income were lower for those with hearing loss (ORs, 0.88 and 0.95, respectively). The likelihood of paid employment was lower for Black and Hispanic individuals with hearing loss (ORs, 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Lower income was earned by Black individuals with hearing loss, tinnitus, and other respondents with both (ORs, 0.79, 0.83, and 0.72, respectively).
"We found that these detrimental effects are especially pronounced among Black and Hispanic individuals, who face additional barriers to employment and income," Jacobs said in a statement. "Our findings highlight how hearing health can shape early career outcomes and long-term financial stability."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Evidence Insufficient to Determine Benefits of Multicancer Screening Tests
THURSDAY, Sept. 18, 2025 -- No controlled studies report benefits of screening with multicancer detection (MCD) tests, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in the Annals...
Nonadherence to Cervical Cancer Screening Increased After COVID-19 Pandemic
THURSDAY, Sept. 18, 2025 -- Nonadherence to cervical cancer screening in the United States increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online Sept. 10...
Guidance Issued for Creation of pAVFs for Hemodialysis Access
THURSDAY, Sept. 18, 2025 -- In a guidance document issued by the Society of Interventional Radiology Practice and published online Sept. 9 in the Journal of Vascular and...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.