Per a court order, HHS is required to restore this website to its version as of 12:00 AM on January 29, 2025. Information on this page may be modified and/or removed in the future subject to the terms of the court’s order and implemented consistent with applicable law. Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from truth. The Trump Administration rejects gender ideology due to the harms and divisiveness it causes. This page does not reflect reality and therefore the Administration and this Department reject it.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of adults with dizziness or balance problems who have been referred to a specialist — HOSCD‑11 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About this objective  |  Methodology  |  History

About this objective

Data

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

National baseline: 70.4 percent of adults aged 18 years and over with moderate to severe balance or dizziness problems had seen a health care specialist in 2023

National target: 74.5 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over for whom balance and dizziness is a moderate to severe problem who have seen a health care specialist.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over for whom balance and dizziness is a moderate to severe problem.
National target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
National target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
National target-setting method justification
Trend data were not available for this objective. The standard error was used to calculate a target based on minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline. This method was used because it was a statistically significant improvement from the baseline and the Healthy People 2030 Workgroup Subject Matter Experts expected the data to be difficult to change.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2023 National Health Interview Survey Hearing Health Supplement:

Numerator and Denominator:
DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, have you had a problem with dizziness or balance? Do not include times when drinking alcohol.
  1. YES
  2. NO
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
This next question is about symptoms of dizziness or balance problems. Please tell me if you have had any of these problems in the past 12 months. Please say yes or no to each.
  1. A spinning or vertigo sensation, a rocking of yourself or your surroundings
  2. A floating, spacey, or tilting sensation
  3. Feeling lightheaded, without a sense of motion
  4. Feeling as if you are going to pass out or faint
  5. Blurring of your vision when you move your head
  6. Feeling off-balance or unsteady
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, which ONE of these feelings of dizziness or balance problems bothered you the most? [Read categories below.]
  1. Feeling a sense of spinning
  2. A floating or spacey feeling
  3. Feeling lightheaded
  4. Feeling like you are about to pass out
  5. Blurred vision
  6. Unsteadiness
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS, how much of a problem was your dizziness or balance condition?
  1. NO PROBLEM
  2. A SMALL PROBLEM
  3. A MODERATE PROBLEM
  4. A BIG PROBLEM
  5. A VERY BIG PROBLEM
  6. Refused
  7. Don't know
Numerator:
Have you ever seen a doctor or other health care professional, except for in the emergency room, about your most bothersome dizziness or balance problem?
  1. YES
  2. NO
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know

Note: Types of doctors or health care specialists included:

  1. Cardiologist or doctor of internal medicine
  2. Ear, nose, and throat doctor
  3. Neurologist
  4. Eye doctor, optometrist, or ophthalmologist
  5. Podiatrist or foot doctor
  6. Psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker
  7. Occupational therapist, physical therapist, or rehabilitation specialist
  8. Radiologist or technician for MRI, CAT scan or ultrasound

Methodology notes

The denominator includes adults who responded "yes" to having a balance or dizziness problem in the past 12 months and who said it was a moderate, big, or very big problem. The numerator is comprised of adults who (i) responded "yes" to having a balance or dizziness problem in the past 12 months; (ii) who said it was a moderate, big, or very big problem; and (iii) who also responded "yes" to having been referred to or seen a health care professional in one of the listed specialties.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Sex: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Educational Attainment: 25-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Family Type: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Country of Birth: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Disability Status: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Geographic Location: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Health Insurance Status: 18-44, 45-64
  • Marital Status: 18-44, 45-64, 65-74, 75+

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Modified, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 but underwent a change in measurement.
Changes between HP2020 and HP2030
This objective differs from Healthy People 2020 objective ENT-VSL-12 in that objective HOSCD-11 was changed due to 2019 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) redesign and the survey questions change.
Revision History
Revised. 

In 2025, the baseline was revised due to 2019 NHIS redesign and survey questions changes. The original baseline was changed from 70.7 percent in 2016 to 70.4 percent in 2023. The target was adjusted from 76.7 to 74.5 percent to reflect the revised baseline using the same target-setting method.