Why is education important
Training and studies play a more important role for people with physical disabilities who want to pursue a profession than for the population as a whole. According to studies, the career choice of people with congenital heart defects depends on their level of education. However, this applies to the entire population regardless of their health. According to some studies, the level of education is lower for people with a severe heart defect than for those with a mild heart defect. This could be because the heart defect has a greater impact on everyday life.
Above average education
Some countries keep statistics on the relationship between congenital heart defects and level of education. However, comprehensive data is not available. For example, there are studies from Germany, Sweden, Finland and the United Kingdom which show that the level of education in people with heart defects is comparable - and often even higher - than the average population. Interestingly, several studies have shown that people with congenital aortic diseases have the highest level of education. Other heart defects that are associated with high levels of education include pulmonary stenoses and ventricular septal defects. However, few studies have so far investigated individual heart defects.
Conclusions between the type of heart defect and the degree of education should therefore be treated with caution.
Find a job that suits you
Whether someone completes their studies depends on the individual. Genetic predispositions, syndromes, consequences of treatments and the heart defect itself can limit the choice of training. This is especially true for those with very severe heart defects. Adults with a congenital heart defect usually want to find employment that corresponds to their level of education. This motivation must be maintained despite all the challenges - e.g. when a person is advised against a career choice, if there are problems with insurance, when operations are pending or if a further full-time job is no longer possible. It is also possible to find out what kind of work is possible by means of systematic stress tests for certain professions, training and rehabilitation programmes.