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

Reduce vision loss from untreated cataracts — V‑06 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

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

Baseline: 64.9 per 1,000 adults aged 65 years and over had visual impairment due to untreated cataracts in 2023

Target: 53.6 per 1,000

Numerator
Number of adults aged 65 years and over with cataracts who have lost vision because of cataracts and did not yet have cataract surgery.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 65 years and over who did not yet have cataract surgery.
Target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
Target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
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. Cataract surgery, an effective intervention, and program efforts aimed at educating patients, caregivers, and providers to increase cataract surgery when indicated may assist in meeting this target.

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 Vision Supplement

Numerator and Denominator:
Have you ever had cataract surgery?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had cataract?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know

If answered "yes" (1) then asked:

Have you lost any vision because of cataract?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know

Methodology notes

Persons who responded "yes" to all Numerator questions met the (self-reporting) criteria for this objective.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 65-74, 75+
  • Sex: 65-74, 75+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 65-74, 75+
  • Educational Attainment: 65-74, 75+
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 65-74, 75+
  • Family Type: 65-74, 75+
  • Country of Birth: 65-74, 75+
  • Disability Status: 65-74, 75+
  • Geographic Location: 65-74, 75+
  • Marital Status: 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 in that it measures vision loss due to cataract in adults who did not have cataract surgery.
Revision History
Revised. 

In 2024, this objective was revised due to the 2019 NHIS redesign and the survey question changes. In the 2023 NHIS, the question order and skip pattern were changed from 2017. The question "Have you EVER had cataract surgery?" was asked first, and only those who answered NO were asked the follow-up questions about whether they were EVER told they had a cataract and whether they lost vision due to cataracts. The baseline was revised from 141.2 per 1,000 adults aged 65 years and over in 2017 to 64.9 per 1,000 in 2023. The target was revised from 126.5 to 53.6 per 1,000 using the original target setting method.