Teachers and Hearing-Health Care

Most adult-onset hearing losses are associated with aging (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2023). Retirement ages continue to rise, but the effects of hearing loss on professionals and their workplace abilities have been understudied. 

In a recent study, Schriemer et al. (2025) asked 737 teachers to complete a work-ability questionnaire and an online speech-in-noise screening test for hearing loss. The survey provided a work ability score ranging from 0–10, with 0 being poor and 10 being excellent, and recorded reported sick leave over the past three months. Regression analyses were completed to examine the relationships between hearing loss, work ability, and sick leave.

The results were startling: Teachers with poorer hearing had a higher prevalence of poor-moderate work ability than teachers who reported good hearing. In addition, teachers with self-reported poor hearing also had a higher prevalence of sick leave than those who reported good hearing.

The authors concluded that hearing loss was associated with poorer work abilities and increased sick leave. They also highlighted the need for periodic hearing screening as recommended by the World Health Organization (2021), because earlier detection of hearing loss could mitigate poor work abilities and sick days for our teachers.  

References

 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023). Hearing loss. Mayo Clinic.

Schriemer, AG, Bültmann U, Schriemer SH, Abma FI, Roelen CAM. (2025) Hearing loss among teachers: a major public health challenge. BMC Public Health 25(626).

 World Health Organization. (2021). World report on hearing. World Health Organization.