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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Trouble Hearing,* by Sex and Race/Ethnicity — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2012§

The figure above is a bar chart showing the percentage of adults aged ≥18 years with trouble hearing, by sex and race/Ethnicity in the United States during 2012. Overall, in 2012, non-Hispanic white adults were more likely to report having trouble hearing compared with Hispanic adults and non-Hispanic black adults. Men (18%) were more likely to report having trouble hearing than women (12%). Among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults, men were more likely to report having trouble hearing; however, this pattern was not observed for non-Hispanic black adults, among whom no statistically significant difference was observed between men and women.


* Based on responses to the following question: "Without the use of hearing aids or other listening devices, is your hearing excellent, good, a little trouble hearing, moderate trouble, a lot of trouble, or are you deaf?" For this figure, "a little trouble hearing," "moderate trouble," "a lot of trouble, " and "deaf" are combined into a single category, "trouble hearing." Unknowns were not included in the denominators when calculating percentages of "trouble hearing."

Refers to persons who are of Hispanic ethnicity and might be of any race or combination of races. "Non-Hispanic" refers to all persons who are not of Hispanic ethnicity, regardless of race.

§ Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population and are age adjusted to the projected 2000 U.S. population as the standard population using four age groups: 18–44, 45–64, 65–74, and ≥75 years.

95% confidence interval.

** Includes other races/ethnicities not shown separately.

Overall, in 2012, non-Hispanic white adults were more likely to report having trouble hearing compared with Hispanic adults and non-Hispanic black adults. Men (18%) were more likely to report having trouble hearing than women (12%). Among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults, men were more likely to report having trouble hearing; however, this pattern was not observed for non-Hispanic black adults, among whom no statistically significant difference was observed between men and women.

Source: Blackwell DL, Lucas JW, Clarke TC. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Vital Health Stat 2014;10(260). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_260.pdf.

Reported by: Jacqueline W. Lucas, MPH, jacqueline.lucas@cdc.hhs.gov, 301-458-4355; Tainya C. Clarke, PhD; Debra Blackwell, PhD.

Alternate Text: The figure above is a bar chart showing the percentage of adults aged ≥18 years with trouble hearing, by sex and race/Ethnicity in the United States during 2012. Overall, in 2012, non-Hispanic white adults were more likely to report having trouble hearing compared with Hispanic adults and non-Hispanic black adults. Men (18%) were more likely to report having trouble hearing than women (12%). Among Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults, men were more likely to report having trouble hearing; however, this pattern was not observed for non-Hispanic black adults, among whom no statistically significant difference was observed between men and women.



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