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

Increase the proportion of children and adolescents with communication disorders who have seen a specialist in the past year — HOSCD‑05 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: 48.8 percent of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years with communication disorders of voice, speech, swallowing or language saw a health care specialist for evaluation or treatment in the past 12 months in 2022

National target: 56.0 percent

Numerator
Number of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years with voice, speech, swallowing or language problems who have seen a health care provider for evaluation or treatment in the past 12 months.
Denominator
Number of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years with voice, speech, swallowing or language problems in the past 12 months.
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.
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 2022 National Health Interview Survey Child Voice, Speech, (Swallowing), and Language Supplement:

Numerator and Denominator:
During the past 12 months, did S.C. name have problems or difficulty with his/her VOICE, such as having a hoarse, raspy, tired, or strained voice, or trouble speaking loud enough to be heard?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
During the past 12 months, about how many days, weeks, or months did he/she have problems or difficulty with his/her voice?
  1. 1 to 6 days (“less than a week”)
  2. 7 to 13 days (“one week or more, but less than two weeks”)
  3. 14 to 29 days (“2 weeks or more, but less than a month”)
  4. 30 to 89 days (“a month or more, but less than 3 months”)
  5. 90 days to 179 days (“3 months or more, but less than 6 months”)
  6. 180 days or more (“6 months or more”)
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
During the past 12 months, did S.C. name have problems or difficulty with his/her SPEECH, such as stuttering, repeating words, or not being able to pronounce words correctly?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
During the past 12 months, about how many days, weeks, or months did he/she have problems or difficulty with his/her speech?
  1. 1 to 6 days (“less than a week”)
  2. 7 to 13 days (“one week or more, but less than two weeks”)
  3. 14 to 29 days (“2 weeks or more, but less than a month”)
  4. 30 to 89 days (“a month or more, but less than 3 months”)
  5. 90 days to 179 days (“3 months or more, but less than 6 months”)
  6. 180 days or more (“6 months or more”)
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
During the past 12 months, did S.C. name have problems or difficulty with SWALLOWING, such as having difficulty eating solid food, taking pills, or drinking liquids?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
During the past 12 months, about how many days, weeks, or months did he/she have problems or difficulty with swallowing?
  1. 1 to 6 days (“less than a week”)
  2. 7 to 13 days (“one week or more, but less than two weeks”)
  3. 14 to 29 days (“2 weeks or more, but less than a month”)
  4. 30 to 89 days (“a month or more, but less than 3 months”)
  5. 90 days to 179 days (“3 months or more, but less than 6 months”)
  6. 180 days or more (“6 months or more”)
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
During the past 12 months, did S.C. name have problems or difficulty with LANGUAGE, such as difficulty using, learning, or understanding words, sentences, or conversational interactions?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
During the past 12 months, about how many days, weeks, or months did he/she have problems or difficulty with language?
  1. 1 to 6 days (“less than a week”)
  2. 7 to 13 days (“one week or more, but less than two weeks”)
  3. 14 to 29 days (“2 weeks or more, but less than a month”)
  4. 30 to 89 days (“a month or more, but less than 3 months”)
  5. 90 days to 179 days (“3 months or more, but less than 6 months”)
  6. 180 days or more (“6 months or more”)
  7. Refused
  8. Don't know
Numerator:
During the past 12 months, did S.C. name see a speech-language pathologist, doctor, or other health care professional for evaluation, treatment, or rehabilitation services of his/her VSL problems or difficulty? Health care professionals can include early intervention specialists, ENT doctors, otolaryngologists, audiologists, rehabilitation specialists, occupational or physical therapists, internal medicine doctors, neurologists, gerontologists, and others.
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know

Methodology notes

Definition: For purposes of this objective, a "health care specialist" will be one or more of the following: (i) Speech-Language Pathologist; (ii) Early Intervention Specialist; (iii) Occupational or Physical Therapist; (iv) Ear, Nose & Throat Doctor (ENT, or otolaryngologist); (v) Audiologist or Hearing Aid Specialist. The remaining service providers do not qualify (e.g., licensure concerns) as appropriate for evaluation and treatment of voice, speech, and language disorders.

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
In 2025, swallowing disorders were added to language, voice and speech conditions, therefore, the Healthy People 2030 data are not comparable with Healthy People 2020 objective.
Revision History
Revised. 

In 2025, the baseline was revised due to 2019 NHIS redesign and the survey question changes. Swallowing disorders were added to language, voice and speech conditions. The original baseline was changed from 59.7 percent in 2012 to 48.8 percent in 2022. The target was adjusted from 63.4 to 56.0 percent to reflect the revised baseline using the original target-setting method.