Hearing impairment, work and vocational enablement | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Krupa, T
Year Published	2008
Publication	International Journal of Audiology
Volume	47
Number	2
Pages	S124-S130
Publisher	Informa Healthcare
Background	Employment is considered one of the major life areas. An increasing number of individuals with hearing loss are seeking help with occupational problems and need individualized employment supports.
Purpose	This paper describes a recently developed vocational enablement protocol (VEP) addressing the specific needs of those with hearing loss in the workforce.
Setting	The setting was an Audiological Center in a University Medical Center, in Amsterdam.
Sample	The study sample include 86 patients with hearing loss aged 19-64 years.
Data Collection	Data from the VEP was collected and discussed in a board multidisciplinary team.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	Recommendations were made by the multidisciplinary team in the following areas: hearing aid (re)fitting, communication training, environmental modifications, psychosocial counseling, assistive listening devices, re-delegation of assignments, restructuring of time schedules, further medical examination, occupations retraining, hearing protection.
Conclusions	This program may be regarded as a step forward in the management of people with hearing loss who experience problems as work, but there is still room for improvement. There is no scientific evidence available for the effectiveness and efficiency of the recommendations proposed.
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19012121
Disabilities	Hearing impairments
Populations	Male & Female
Outcomes	Other
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Qualitative
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2008

Publication

International Journal of Audiology

Volume

47

Number

2

Pages

S124-S130

Publisher

Informa Healthcare

Background

Employment is considered one of the major life areas. An increasing number of individuals with hearing loss are seeking help with occupational problems and need individualized employment supports.

Purpose

This paper describes a recently developed vocational enablement protocol (VEP) addressing the specific needs of those with hearing loss in the workforce.

Setting

The setting was an Audiological Center in a University Medical Center, in Amsterdam.

Sample

The study sample include 86 patients with hearing loss aged 19-64 years.

Data Collection

Data from the VEP was collected and discussed in a board multidisciplinary team.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

Recommendations were made by the multidisciplinary team in the following areas: hearing aid (re)fitting, communication training, environmental modifications, psychosocial counseling, assistive listening devices, re-delegation of assignments, restructuring of time schedules, further medical examination, occupations retraining, hearing protection.

Conclusions

This program may be regarded as a step forward in the management of people with hearing loss who experience problems as work, but there is still room for improvement. There is no scientific evidence available for the effectiveness and efficiency of the recommendations proposed.

URL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19012121

Disabilities

Hearing impairments

Populations

Male & Female

Outcomes

Other

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Qualitative

Peer Reviewed

Yes