From: Hearing loss, sick leave, and disability pension: findings from the HUNT follow-up study
Total | Normal | Any | Mild | Disabling | Any hearing loss | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sample | hearing | hearing loss | hearing loss | hearing loss | + tinnitus | |
(N = 21 754) | (N = 21 231) | (N = 523) | (N = 433) | (N = 90) | (N = 182) | |
Mean age at baseline—mean, (SD) | 36.6 (8.2) | 36.5 (8.2) | 41.6 (7.0) | 41.9 (6.9) | 40.1 (7.3) | 41.0 (7.2) |
Men N, (%) | 10 554 (48.5) | 10 225 (48.2) | 329 (62.9) | 278 (64.2) | 51 (56.7) | 127 (69.8) |
Women N, (%) | 11 200 (51.5) | 11 006 (51.8) | 194 (37.1) | 155 (35.8) | 39 (43.3) | 55 (30.2) |
Younger adults (< 35 yr at baseline) N, (%) | 9402 (43.2) | 9391 (43.8) | 101 (19.3) | 77 (17.8) | 24 (26.7) | 38 (20.9) |
Older adults (> 35 year at baseline) N, (%) | 12 352 (56.8) | 11 930 (56.2) | 422 (80.7) | 356 (82.2) | 66 (73.3) | 144 (79.1) |
High education N, (%) | 13 222 (60.8) | 12 885 (60.7) | 337 (64.4) | 271 (62.6) | 66 (73.3) | 122 (67.0) |
Low education N, (%) | 8532 (39.2) | 8346 (39.3) | 186 (35.6) | 162 (37.4) | 24 (26.7) | 60 (33.0) |
White-collar N, (%) | 6374 (41.8) | 6241 (42.1) | 133 (31.3) | 113 (31.3) | 20 (31.3) | 42 (27.6) |
Blue-collar N, (%) | 8885 (58.2) | 8593 (57.9) | 292 (68.7) | 248 (68.7) | 44 (68.7) | 110 (72.4) |
Mean hearing threshold (dBHL) | 3.6 | 2.9 | 29.8 | 25.3 | 51.3 | 30.6 |
Sample proportion with tinnitus (% of 20 784) | 9.9 | 9.3 | 36.5 | 36.2 | 37.8 | 100 |
Participants with at least 1 episode of sick leave N, (%) | 15 984 (73.5) | 15 580 (73.4) | 404 (77.2) | 338 (78.1) | 66 (73.3) | 143 (78.6) |
Participants that received disability pension N, (%) | 2091 (9.6) | 1997 (9.4) | 94 (18.0) | 74 (17.1) | 20 (22.2) | 38 (20.9) |