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.

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The purpose of this article is to examine differences and similarities in working conditions and health status between men and women with hearing impairments. This article is based on a material collected with a comprehensive questionnaire, looking at psycho-social work environments and health status and answered by a total of 406 patients at two audiological clinics in Sweden. Examination of the data reveals a pattern of unfavourable conditions for hearing-impaired persons/employees when compared to a reference group without auditory impairments. Hearing-impaired women frequently find themselves in extremely trying situations. Health status is worse for those who are hearing impaired as compared to the reference group, especially for hearing impaired women The concept "double workload" is discussed as a possible notion for further theoretical development of the issues discussed in this article.