Hearing disability and employment: a population-based analysis using the 2017 Canadian survey on disability

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic, education, and employment profile of persons with hearing disability in Canada, 2017 (N = 1 334 520).

Population	N (%)
Total individuals with hearing disability	1 334 520 (100%)
Age groups
15–24 25–64 65 and above	35 900 (2.69%)
	631 040 (47.32%)
	666 440 (49.98%)
Sex
Male Female	714 100 (53.55%)
	619 290 (46.44%)
Age of onset
From birth 1–14 years 15–24 years 25–44 years 45–64 years 65–74 years 75 years and after Not known or not stated	39 420 (2.95%)
	103 030 (7.72%)
	65 230 (4.88%)
	247 760 (18.56%)
	449 790 (33.70%)
	163 300 (12.23%)
	143 860 (10.77%)
	122 130 (9.15%)
Severity of disability
Mild or moderate-severe Severe or very severe	1 061 720 (79.62%)
	271 670 (20.37%)
Number of types of disabilities
One Two or three More than three	216 760 (16.25%)
	388 500 (29.13%)
	728 120 (54.60%)
Education
Less than high school diploma or its equivalent High school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate Trade certificate or diploma College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate/diploma University certificate or diploma below the bachelor's level Bachelor's degree University certificate/diploma/degree above bachelor's level Not known or not stated	311 980 (23.37%)
	301 620 (22.60%)
	163 650 (12.26%)
	192 830 (14.44%)
	36 850 (2.76%)
	141 550 (10.60%)
	78 820 (5.90%)
	107 220 (8.03%)
Employment status
Employed Full-time employment Part-time employment Unemployed Not in the labour force	434 770 (32.60%)
	341 340 (78.51%) 84 210 (19.36%)
	41 780 (3.13%)
	856 830 (64.26%)

Table 2. Employment profile of persons with hearing disability in Canada, 2017 (N = 1 334 520).

	Employed		Unemployed			95% CI
Age	n	%	N	%	Odds ratio*	Lower CI	Upper CI
- 15–24	16 670	46	19 230	54	7.41	7.25	7.58
- 25–64	348 360	55	282 680	45	10.54	10.44	10.64
- 65 and above	69 740	10	596 700	90	Ref.
Sex
- Male	274 200	38	439 900	62	1.78	1.76	1.79
- Female	160 570	26	458 720	74	Ref.
Age of onset of hearing disability
- 0–15 years	84 340	59	58 090	41	3.01	2.98	3.05
- 16–44 years	154 900	49	158 030	51	2.03	2.01	2.05
- 45–64 years	146 090	32	303 640	68	Ref.
Ethnic minority status
- Ethnic minority	54 711	26	152 001	74	Ref.
- No visible minority	357 447	34	696 722	66	1.42	1.41	1.44
- Aboriginal people	22 610	31	49 890	69	1.25	1.23	1.28
Severity of hearing disability
- Mild or moderate	368 650	35	693 070	65	1.65	1.63	1.66
- Severe or very severe	66 120	24	205 550	76	Ref.
Education
- High school and below	147 140	24	466 290	76	Ref.
- Trade certificate, diploma or college	156 670	44	198 900	56	2.49	2.47	2.51
- University degree (Bachelor or above)	117 110	46	140 050	54	2.64	2.62	2.67
Number of types of disabilities
- Hearing disability only	124 570	57	92 190	43	Ref.
- 2 or 3	164 090	42	224 410	58	0.54	0.53	0.54
- more than 3	146 110	20	582 010	80	0.18	0.18	0.19
Total number of aids used
- None	127 770	54	106 760	46	Ref.
- One aid	85 210	39	134 610	61	0.53	0.52	0.54
- More than one aid	197 690	25	582 420	75	0.28	0.28	0.29
Provincial regions
- Atlantic provinces	36 320	31	81 330	69	Ref.
- Northern region	2110	49	2230	51	2.11	1.99	2.25
- Central region	239 430	32	505 840	68	1.05	1.04	1.07
- Western region	156 910	34	309 220	66	1.13	1.12	1.15
Internet frequency use
- Never	34 010	9	347 500	91	Ref.
- Daily	342 280	46	400 300	54	8.73	8.63	8.84
- Sometimes	58 340	28	149 000	72	4	3.94	4.05
General health status
- Excellent to good	319 070	43	425 530	57	5.35	5.28	5.43
- Fair	89 800	24	287 810	76	2.22	2.19	2.26
- Poor	24 910	12	177 920	88	Ref.
Mental health status
- Excellent to good	351 140	37	587 550	63	3.52	3.46	3.57
- Fair	62 770	25	189 510	75	1.95	1.91	1.98
- Poor	19 550	15	115 210	86	Ref.
Housebound status
- Yes	21 540	14	136 930	86	0.21	0.2	0.21
- No	390 300	42	528 550	58	Ref.
General life satisfaction
- Dissatisfied	20 240	14	119 540	86	Ref.
- Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied	20 400	38	32 760	62	3.67	3.59	3.76
- Satisfied	313 000	41	441 350	59	4.18	4.12	4.25

*Unadjusted odds ratios.

Table 3. Logistic regression model for predictors of employment for adults with hearing disability in Canada, 2017 (N = 631 040).

	Model 1: Both			Model 2: Males only			Model 3: Females only
		95% confidence intervals			95% confidence intervals			95% confidence intervals
	Odds ratio	Lower	Upper	Odds ratio	Lower	Upper	Odds ratio	Lower	Upper
Sex (Males vs Females)	1.40	1.12	1.76	Not applicable			Not applicable
Severity of hearing disability (Less vs more severe)	1.39	1.05	1.83	Not significant			1.55	1.03	2.32
Age of onset between 45 and 64 years	Ref			Ref			Ref
Age of onset between 0 and 15 years	1.65	1.18	2.32	2.10	1.23	3.59	1.53	0.97	2.42
Age of onset between 16 and 44 years	1.74	1.36	2.24	1.39	1.00	1.94	2.28	1.56	3.33
Number of types of disabilities	0.78	0.73	0.82	0.75	0.69	0.81	0.80	0.74	0.87
Education: High school and below	Ref			Ref			Ref
Education: Trade certificate, diploma or college	1.59	1.24	2.05	1.59	1.12	2.25	1.64	1.13	2.37
Education: University degree (Bachelor or above)	1.67	1.21	2.29	1.42	0.90	2.25	1.99	1.27	3.11
Internet Use frequency: Never	Ref			Ref			Ref
Internet Use frequency: Daily	2.70	1.78	4.11	2.58	1.56	4.26	3.35	1.51	7.44
Internet Use frequency: Sometimes	1.50	0.93	2.40	1.68	0.92	3.04	1.59	0.67	3.78
General health status: Poor	Ref						Ref
General health status: Excellent to good	3.38	2.30	4.97	2.85	1.65	4.94	3.96	2.30	6.84
General health status: Fair	2.49	1.70	3.66	2.31	1.34	4.01	2.74	1.59	4.72
Constant	0.21			0.56			0.11
	Model 1 statistics:			Model 2 statistics:			Model 3 statistics:
	−2 Log likelihood: 1833.46			−2 Log likelihood: 950.15			−2 Log-likelihood: 871.32
	Model Chi-square: 420.07			Model Chi-square: 193.42			Model Chi-square: 225.17
	df: 11; p < 0.001			df: 9; p < 0.001			df: 10; p < 0.001
	% correct prediction: 71.4%			% correct prediction: 70.7%			% correct prediction: 71.4%
	Nagelkerke R Square: 0.303			Nagelkerke R Square: 0.276			Nagelkerke R Square: 0.330
	Hosmer and Lemeshow p: 0.32			Hosmer and Lemeshow p: 0.43			Hosmer and Lemeshow p: 0.53

Table 4. Needed and available workplace accommodations for individuals with hearing disability (N = 434 770).

	Needed		Available
Type of workplace accommodations	Numbers	Percent^a	Numbers	Percent^b
Modified work hours	137 010	31.51	63 880	46.62
Modified or different duties	125 950	28.97	49 830	39.56
Special chair/ back support	86 450	19.88	22 200	25.68
Modified/ergonomic workstation	69 360	15.95	26 530	38.25
Working from home	68 230	15.69	21 950	32.17
Human support	36 670	8.43	13 490	36.79
Technical aids	30 430	7.00	5880	19.32
Computer w/ special. software/adapt.	32 980	7.59	7320	22.20
Adapted/accessible parking	18 140	4.17	3810	21.00
Accessible elevator	18 430	4.24	3870	21.00
Communication aids	17 300	3.98	2840	16.42
Handrails/ramps/wide doorways, hallways	16 150	3.71	3870	23.96
Adapted washrooms	13 620	3.13	3840	28.19
Specialized transportation	9510	2.19	2200	23.13
Other equipment/help/work arrangement	18 740	4.31	6600	35.22

Note: percent^a: the denominator for this percentage is the total number of individuals with hearing disability who were employed at the time of the survey. This percentage reflects the proportion of employed individuals with hearing disability who needed that accommodation. percent^b: the denominator for this percentage is the number of employed individuals with hearing disability who needed that particular accommodation. This percentage reflects the proportion of employed individuals with hearing disability who received that accommodation.

Figure 1. Employment rates of general population and people with hearing disability in 2017. Notes: The employment rate is the number of persons employed expressed as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over. The employment rate for a particular group (individuals with hearing disability) is the number employed in that group expressed as a percentage of the population for that group. Estimates are percentages, rounded to the nearest tenth. All rates in the charts/tables are calculated excluding non-response categories ("refusal," "don't know," and "not stated") in the denominator.

This bar chart compares the employment rates of Canadian general population who are 15 years and above with the employment rates for people with hearing disability in Canada across 10 provinces, in the year of 2017. The x-axis has percentages from zero to 80 while the y-axis shows different provinces. The blue bars show the employment rates for general population while the red bars show the employment rates for people with hearing disability. The chart shows that employment rates for people with hearing disability are less in comparison to general population in all Canadian provinces.

Data availability statement

Data used in this study contain potentially sensitive information, and therefore, are restricted to be released by Statistics Canada. Data access request can be made at the Research Data Centres of Statistics Canada (Queen's University Research Data Centre in this case – [email protected]) via research analysts at the designated institutions. Please note that data will be only available to researchers who meet the criteria for access to confidential data.