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

Increase the proportion of adults who have had a hearing exam in the past 5 years — HOSCD‑06 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About this objective  |  Methodology  |  History

About this objective

Data

Data Source:  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC/NCHS

National baseline: 21.7 percent of adults aged 20 to 69 years had a hearing examination within the past 5 years in 2015-16

National target: 24.4 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 20 to 69 years who had a hearing test within the past 5 years.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 20 to 69 years.
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 evaluated for this objective, but it was not possible to project a target because the trend was moving away from the desired direction. 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.
National data collection frequency
Other

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

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

From the 2015-16 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey:

Numerator:
When was the last time (you had/SP had) (your/his/her) hearing tested by a hearing specialist?
  1. LESS THAN A YEAR AGO
  2. 1 YEAR TO 4 YEARS AGO
  3. 5 TO 9 YEARS AGO
  4. TEN OR MORE YEARS AGO
  5. Refused
  6. Don't know
Denominator:

The number of US persons aged 20–69 years

Methodology notes

A hearing test is one that is conducted by a hearing specialist in a sound proof booth or room or with headphones. Hearing specialists include Audiologists, Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Doctors (or otorhinolaryngologists), Trained Technicians, and Occupational Nurses.

Design changes were made to the August 2021-2023 NHANES cycle to minimize in-person contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike previous cycles, there was no oversampling of persons with family incomes <185% of the poverty threshold. This may result in lower confidence in the estimate and insufficient power to detect differences between groups. In addition, seventeen percent of interview participants had missing family income data. See the Data Source page for more information.

https://www.epa.gov/americaschildrenenvironment/biomonitoring-lead

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Sex: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Race/Ethnicity: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Educational Attainment: 25-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Family Income (percent poverty guidelines): 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Health Insurance Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60-64
  • Marital Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Activity Limitations: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Country of Birth: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69
  • Veteran Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60-69

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Retained, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 with no change in measurement.