stacks.cdc.gov · NATIONAL CENTER I Series 10 For HEALTH STATISTICS Number 46 VITAL and HEALTH STATISTICS DATA FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEV characteristics of Visually Impaired

INATIONAL CENTER Series 10For HEALTH STATISTICS Number 46

VITAL and HEALTH STATISTICSDATA FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEV

characteristics of

Visually ImpairedPersonsUnited States-July 1963-June1964

Statistics on vision impairments for persons 6 years and older by de-

gree of impairment, activity limitation, receipt of aid, restriction of

social activities, employment status, sex, age, education, and in-

come. Based an data COIlected in household interviews during the

period July 1963-June 1964.

Washington, D.C. August 1968

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

Wilbur J. Cohen

Secretary

Public Health Service

Wil Iiam H. Stewart

Surgeon General

F’uhlir Hmlth %rvlce Puhllcation No. 1000-Series 1O-NO. 46

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

THEODORE D. W(X) LSEY, Director

PHILIP S. LAWRENCE, SC. D., Associate Director

OSWALD K. SAGEN, PH. D., Assistant Director /or Health Stati-sties Development

WALT R. SIMMONS, M. A., Assistant Director for Research and Scierzti/ic Development

ALICE M. WATERHOUSE, M. D., Medical Consultant

JAMES E. KELLY, D. D. S., Dental Advisor

LOUIS R. STOLCIS, M. A., Executive O//icer

MARGERY R. CUNNINGHAM , in/ormatian O//icer

DIVISION OF HEALTH INTERVIEW STATISTICS

ELIJAH L. WHITE, Director

ROBERT R. FUCHSBERG, Deputy Director

KENNETH HAASE, Special Assistant to Director

RONALD W. WILSON, Cbie/, Survey Methods Branch

GERALDINE A. GLEESON, Chief, Analysis and Reports Branch

COOPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

{In(ler t,he legislation establishing the National H(>alth

Surv(.y, the pub]ic Hca!th Serviw is authorized to use, insofar

as possible, the services or facilities of other Federal, State,

or priv,ate agencies.

In accordance \vith specifications cstablishorl by the

National Health Sur\ey, the Bureau of the (’cnsus, under a

contractual] arrangement, participates in most aspects of sur-

v(’y planning, selects tho .sampl~, col!wts the data, and carries

OU t (,ertnin parts of the sta(. i.+t,icnl processing.

Public !iealth Service Publication NO. 1000-Series 1O-NO. ~f

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 68-60055

CONTENTSPage

htroduction ----------------------------------------------------------

Source and Limitations of Data ------------------------------------------Vision hpairment Classifications ------------------------------------Age Differences Between General Population and Visually Impaired

Persons ----------------------------------------------------------Trend of Vision hpairment -----------------------------------------

Degreeof Vision Impaiment -------------------------------------------

Demographic Characteristics -------------------------------------------hcome ------------------------------------------------------------Education ----------------------------------------------------------Region ------------------------------------------------------------Color -------------------------------------------------------------Residence ---------------------------------------------------------

Limitation of Activities ------------------------------------------------Visually hpatied Persons ad Emplopent ---------------------------Living Arrmgements -----------------------------------------------Use of an Aid------------------------------------------------------“Talking Books, ” Braille, and Financial Aid---------------------------Functional Ltiitations ----------------------------------------------Age at Which Vision Impairment First Interfered With Daily Activities---Vision Impairments and Other Selected Conditions ---------------------

Detailed Tables -------------------------------------------------------

Appendix I. Technical Notes on Methods -------------------------------Background of This Report ------------------------------------------Statistical Design of the Health Interview Survey -----------------------General @altiications ----------------------------------------------Reliability of Esttiates ---------------------------------------------Guide toUseof Relative Standard Error Charts ------------------------

Appendix II. Definitions of Certain Terms Used in This Report -----------Demographic and Economic Terms -----------------------------------TermsRelating to Employment Status --------------------------------Terms Relating to DisabUity -----------------------------------------Selected Chronic Conditions -----------------------------------------

Appendix III. Classification of Impairments -----------------------------Comparison ofX- Code to Classification of Vision Impairment Usedin

This Report ------------------------------------------------------

Appendix IV. @estiomaire and V@ion Supplement -----------------------

1

12

45

5

777888

810101111121214

15

494949505052

5555565657

58

59

61

...111

IN THIS REPORT statistics are presented on the number and charac -tevis tics ofpevsons 6 yeaYs and’ ovar with. vision impairments. Thesestatistics are based on datu collected in the Health Intevview Surveywithin the civilian, nonins titwtional population of the United States. Thesurvey shows an estimated 5,029,000 visually impaired persons, ofwhom 969,000 cannot read ovdinavy newspm”nt and 310,000 cannot seethe features of friends a@/or moving objects. In the detailed tables in-formation derived from material collected duvin.g the period July 1963-June 1964 is shown on the degree of vision im#airrnent by sex, age, in-come, education, color, vegion, and residence.

An eavliev report on selected impairments (Health Statistics, Series B,Numbe-r 35) provided information on vision impairments for the periodJuly 1959-June 1961; howevar the eavliw dakz did not pvovide fov thedetailed description of degree of vision impairment and characteristicsof the impaived that can be obtained from the present estimates. Dataare ~esented on activity limitation due to impaived vision, receipt offinancial aid, receipt of “talking books,” restriction of social activities,living arrangements, and employment status.

Category not applicable ------------------- . . .

Quantity zero ---------------------------- -

Quantity more than O but less than 0.05---- 0.0

Figure does not meet standards ofreliability or precision ------------------ *

iv

CHARACTERISTICS OF

VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS

Ronald W. Wilson, Division of Health Interview Statistics

INTRODUCTION

This is the first report containing detaileddata on vision impairments to be released by theHealth Interview Survey since “Selected Impair-ments” (Health Statistics, Series B, Number 35)was issued in 1962. As a consequence of theearlier report, which was” IMed on a functionalcriterion of ability to read ordinary newsprint,there were a number of requests for more de-tailed information on vision impairments. Inorder to meet these requests for additional data,the sections of the survey questionnaire dealingwith vision problems were expanded for thecollection of more detailed information whichcould be used to assess functional loss of vision.

Where vision loss was indicated by re-sponses to the household interview, a supple-mentary set of questions was administered. Thissupplement was designed to elicit information onactivity limitation due to vision problems, receiptof financial aid, receipt of “talking books, ” re-striction of social activities, types of physicalaid needed, cause of visual impairments (notdiscussed in this report), living arrangements,and employment status. The data from the newquestions on vision permit a more -deta+ledcategorization of the degree of vision impairment,as well as a better, more complete descriptionof visually impaired persons.

SOURCE AND LIMITATIONS

OF DATAThe information contained in this publication

is derived from household interviews conductedby the Health Interview Survey (HIS) in cooperationwith the U.S. Bureau of the Census in a probabilitysample of the civilian, noninstitutional populationof the United States. The sample is so designedthat interviews are conducted during every weekof the year. During the 52-week period from July1963 through June 1964, the sample was composedof approximately 42,000 households which includedabout 134,000 persons living at the time of theint&cview.

A description of the design of the survey,the methods used in estimation, and the generalqualifications of data obtained from surveys ispresented in Appendix I. Since the estimates inthis report are based on a sample of the populationrather than on the entire population, they aresubject to sampling error. Therefore, particularattention should .be paid to the section entitled“Reliability of Estimates.” Sampling errors formost of the estimates are of relatively low magni-tude. However, where an estimated number orthe numerator or the denominator of a rate orpercentage is small, the sampling error may behigh.

1

Some of the estimates included in the de-tailed tables have levels of reliability which are

below the standards usually required for publi-cation by the Health Interview Survey. Althoughit is not general policy to publish figures whichdo not meet the usual standards of reliability, anexception is often made in the case of reports

based on supplements. In order to use these datato full advantage and to show trends which areconsidered logical and important, it is some-

times necessary to show smaller figures. These

figures are marked by asterisks to call specialattention to them.

Certain terms from this report are definedin Appendix II. Because many of the terms have

specialized meanings to serve the purpose of thesurvey, one is advised to familiarize himself withthese def init ions.

The questionnaire used to obtain data on

vision impairments during the period July1963- June 1964 is shown in Appendix IV. Thisquestionnaire also included other questions, whichwere asked during the interview, about the health,medical care, and basic demographic character-istics of all persons in the household. Twopoints should be kept in mind. One question

used in determining the degree of vision im-pairment concerns the ability to read newsprint.Although interviewers were instructed in how

to apply this question to persons who wereilliterate, many illiterate respondents will not

volunteer that they cannot read, thus causing abias in the reported data. As with certain otherchronic conditions and impairments, there is alsosome emotional resistance to blindness which canlead to an underreporting of vision problems.

No attempt was made to equate blindness

in the legal sense with the degree of vision impair-

ment as determined in the interview, because avisual acuity test is basic to the legal definition of

blindness: “A person shall be considered blindwhose central visual acuity does not exceed

20/200 ‘in the better eye with corrective lenses

or whose visual acuity, if better than 20/200,has a limit to the field of vision to such a degree

that its widest diameter subtends an angle of nogreater than 20 degrees.” 1

lAmerican Association of Workers for the Blind, Inc.:

Blindness-1966. Washington, D. C. p. 99.

Because it was not feasible to administer avisual acuity test during the interview, visualacuity was not used to independently validatethe classification of degree of impairment whichwas developed from the content of the surveyquestionnaire. Detailed descriptions of visual

acuity can be found in “Binocular Visual Acuityof Adults” (Vital and Health Statistics, Series11, Number 3) and in “History and ExaminationFindings Related to Visual Acuity Among Adults”

(Series 11, Number 28). These reports are basedon data gathered in the Health Examination Survey.

Vision Impairment Classifications

Before July 1, 1964, all vision impairments

reported in the survey were classified in one ofthe following four categories of the Classificationof Impairments (X-Code):

XOO - Blindness, both eyesXO1 - Blind in one eye, other eye defective

but not blind

X02 - Blind in one eye, other eye good ornot mentioned

X05 - Impaired vision except as in XOO-X02,one or both eyes

The X-Code was used in this report only toidentify persons to be included in the analysis,that is, those who were visually impaired. Anyperson who reported an eye condition which re-ceived an X-Code (XOO, XO1;” X02, X05) was in-cluded in the analysis, but the degree of impair-ment was determined from a new classification

scheme, rather than the X-Code.The earlier report on HIS data covering the

period July 1959-June 1961 (Series B-Number 35)

divided the portion of the X-Code covering visualimpairment into two categories, “severe visual

impairments” (code XOO) and “other visual im-pairments” (XO1, X02, and X05). By definition, the

XOO code includes all persons who cannot readordinary newsprint, even when wearing glasses.

In an attempt to obtain more informationabout economic, social, and health character-istics of visually impaired persons a contractwas negotiated with Dr. Milton Graham of theAmerican Foundation for -the Blind to develop

a set of supplemental questions to be asked ofpersons reporting vision problems. In addition,

several new questions were devised which would

2

elicit information basic to a more detailed classi-fication of persons with vision impairments.

All persons 6 years old and over who re-ported aneyecondition oravision problem dur-ing the interview were asked an additional set ofquestions at the end of the interview (fig. 1).These questions determined the degree of seri-ousness of the vision problem as well as whichone, if either, of two sets of supplemental ques-tions would be asked. Both supplements (SectionsA and B) are reproduced in Appendix IV. Thecontent of the two supplements was basicallythe same, but section B, which was administeredto respondents with more severe vision problems,contained a few questions on light, color, andmotion perception. The interviewers were in-structed to make callbacks if necessary, to geta person to respond for himself on the supple-ment.

Since the same questions were not askedof all persons with vision impairment, it isimportant to study the design of the interview

as outlined in figure 1 in order to understandthe different combinations of questions. Overall,about 30 percent of the visually impaired per-sons were administered a supplement. TableA shows the percent of visually impaired per-sons who were asked the supplement questions,by degree of vision impairment and age. Supple-ments were given to virtually all of the personswho could not read newsprint. 2

A more detailed classification of visuallyimpaired persons was developed, using data ob-tained from the questionnaire (table B, table I,columns d-1 through d-4, and question 1 of sec-tion B of the supplement; Appendix IV). Thisnew classification is shown below.

2Two sample persons who could not read newsprint were,

through error, not-administered a supplement. Thu;, the esti:mate of persons who could not read newsprint derived fromthe basic interview data amounts to 969,000 (see table 1),while that derived from the supplement is 966,000 (see table20).

‘abi e B of ques tionnaipe ~

(4 (d) (e)

Jan you see well Can you see well Can you see

mough to read enough to recognize objects that

mdinary newsprint the features of move, such as

vith glasses ? people you know? cars or people?

No No No ~ Supplement, section BAny combination of yes and no ~ Supplement, section A

WE4J

Yes Yes(!3)

Yes — Can you see Can you see awell enough to friend acrossstep down? the street?

Yes Yes ~ stop

Table B

No to either question — (0How muchtrouble doyou haveseeing

Great deal / Supplement,Some

fsection A

Hardly any

1stop

None

Figure 1. Screening pattern for vi sicn supplements.

3

Detailed Classification of Pevsons With a VisionImpairment

Both eyes involvedCannot read newsprint

Cannot see features, moving objects, or

lightCannot see features or moving objects;

can see lightCan see one and not the other (features

and moving objects)

Can see both features and moving objectsCan read newsprint

Cannot see features and/or moving objectsGreat deal of trouble seeing (can see

features and moving objects)Cannot see a friend across the streetCan see a friend across the street

Some trouble seeing (can see featuresand moving objects)

Cannot see a friend across the streetCan see a friend across the street

None or hardly any trouble seeing (cansee features and moving objects) —nosupplement needed

Cannot see a friend across the streetCan see a friend across the streetNo vision problem reported (positive

responses to all of Table B of thequestionnaire)

Degree of vision problem unknownOne eye involvedUnknown if one w both eyes involved

In much of the analysis that follows, however,

this classification has been collapsed into fourbasic categories:

1. Both eyes involved—total2. Both eyes involved— cannot read news-

print3. Both eyes involved— can read newsprint

4. One eye involved

Appendix III presents a discussion of the

development of the new vision classification.Table I in this Appendix shows the relationship

of the degree of vision impairment categories

to the original X-Code.For several reasons a number of items on

the questionnaire are not analyzed separately

in this report. These items, intended primarilyto screen visually impaired persons or to pro-

Tsble A. Percent of visually impairedpersons aged 6 years and over who weregiven the vision supplement, by age anddegree of visua 1 impairment: UnitedStates, July 1963-June 1964

Degree of visualimpsirment

Total visuallyimpaired per-sonsl------- ---

Both eyes involved2 -Cannot read news-print------------

Can read news-print------------

One eye involved----

65All 6-64 y::dsages years

over

I Percent

99.7 I 99.7 99.715.2

I11.0 19.7

10.2 4.7 19.0

‘Includes unknown number of eyes in-volved.

21nc ludes Unknom degree of impailnnem’t.

vide information for use in the development of

the degree of impairment categories, were con-sidered inappropriate for analytical purposes.In some instances, the number of persons re-sponding positively to certain questions ‘was toosmall to allow reliable estimates. For example,

only one person in the sample reported using adog guide and only two reported ever receivinginstructions in traveling with a dog guide. Thus,these items were not included in the analyses ofthis report.

Age Differences Between General Population

and Visually Impaired Persons

ln thisreport a number of comparisons are

made between thetotalpopulationandthevisually

impaired persons. It is important to keep in mindthe differences in age distribution between these

two groups, even when age- specific comparisonsare made (table B). About 10 percent of thegeneral population (over 6 years of age) are 65years or older while one-half of the total numberof visually impaired persons are 65 or older.

4

Table B. Percent distribution of total population and visually impaired persons, byage: United States, July 1963-June 1964

Age

All ages, 6 years and over -------------------------

6-17 years -------- -------- -------- -------- -------- -------17-44 years ----------------------------------------------45-64 years ----------------------------------------------65-74 years ----------------------------------------------75 years and over -------- -------- -------- -------- --------

6-64 years -------------------------------------------65 years and over ------------------------------------

But there are also marked differences betweenthe two groups for those 65 years and older;one-third of the general population over 64 isalso over 74, while more than half of all thevisually impaired persons over 64 are alsoover 74. Thus, even within age categories, theimpaired persons represent an older segmentof the population.

Trend of Vision Impairment

In table C the rates of visual impairmentsfor July 1959-June 1961 are compared withthose for July 1963-June 1964. The earliertime period was selected for comparison be-cause of the availability of impairment datacollected during that period (Series B-Number35). The categories by degree of impairmentshown in this table are somewhat different fromthose used in the other tables because an attemptwas made to present comparable data for thetwo periods. The difference in rates between thetwo periods for personsimpairments” is small,different age bases for theThe marked increase invision impairments over

with “severe vision

especiallywhen theratesare considered.thethe

estimateof totalearlierperiodis

Visually im-paired persons

Totalpopu-lation, Adminis-6 years teredand over Total vision

supple-ment

Percent distribution

100.OII 100.O[I 100.0

principally reflected in the category, “othervisual impairments. ” Although the basic ques-tions on eye problems have remained the same,except for changes initiated in the recent supple-ment, there has been a gradual increase in thenumber of reported vision impairments. Thisincrease may reflect, to some extent, an im-provement in interviewing techniques.

DEGREE OF VISION IMPAIRMENT

Because of the disproportionate number ofvisually impaired persons in some of the age-sex groups, particularly in some of the cate-gories showing the degree of impairment, it isnot-possible to show in a single table a meaning-ful description of visual impairment in varioussegments of the population. In table 1 the dis-tribution by degree of impairment is shown insome detail for males and females and for twobroad age groups, and in table 2 the degreesof impairment have been combined in order toshow the distribution in more detail by age foreach sex.

Data collected during the periodJuly1963-June 1964 show an estimated 5,029,000 personswith vision impairments, a prevalence rate of

5

Table C. Rate of visual impairments per 1,000 persons aged 6 years and over, by degreeof impairment, sex, and age: United States, July 1959-June 1961 and July 1963-,June1964

Sex and age

Both sexes

All ages,6 years and over -------

6-64 years ------------------65 years and over -----------

Male



Female



All visual Severe visual Other visualimpairments impairments 1 impairments

1959-612 1963-64 1959-612 1 1963-64 1959-619 1963-64

19.8 \ 331.3

Rate per 1,000 persons

11.4 ~8.2108.4 141.9

19.1 29.3

-1-12.0 19.0

101.2 125.3

20.5 33.1

10.8 17.4114.3 155.2

5.6 36.9 14.2 324.4

15.94$$ 4::; ‘6;:; 95.9

5.0 I 5.3 ] 14.21 24.0

17.03;:: 3::: 6%; 88.7

lX-Code = XOO.21959-61 data are from Series B, Number 35, table B, p.6. Data are for ~ ages.

3Using all ages as the base, figures would be as follows: all visual impairmerlts—27.1, severe visual impairments —6.0, other visual impairments-21.l.

31.3 per 1,000 population. For about one-half(53.0 percent) of the visually impaired, botheyes were involved and for 20 percent (an esti-mated 969,000 persons) both eyes were involvedto the extent that ordinary newsprint could notbe read. Those who reported that they had littleor no visual difficulty, even though both eyeswere involved, together with those who had onlyone eye involved, made up three-quarters of thetotal numberof impaired persons. The estimatednumber of persons who have no vision or onlylight perception was about 132,000 persons, O.9per 1,000 population (table 1).

Females reported an overall higher rateof vision impairment than did males, particularlyat the older ages. For example, therateper 1,000females 75 years and over was 243.7 as com-

pared with 199.8 for males. The degreeof visualimpairment was also greater among fernales.Of those persons with both eyes involved, 22.5percent of the females and 15.3 percent of themales wereunableto read newsprint. In addition,a greater proportion of the impaired males hadonly one eye involved, 54.1 percent comparedwith 38.1 percent for females. Data from theearlier study indicates this higher proportionof males with one eye involved maybe partiallydue to the fact that injury was named morefrequently among males as the cause of visionimpairment, 26.8 percent as opposed to the7.1 percent rate for females.

As expected, the prevalence rate showeda marked increase with age, ranging from 7.7per 1,000 persons 6-16 years of age to 225.0

6

per 1,000 persons 75 years and over, that is,almost a quarter of the persons 75 and over.

Table D presents a slight rearrangementof the data in tables 1 and 2 for persons withboth eyes involved in the vision impairment.The ability to see features of friends and/ormoving objects is the major variable in table D,with the ability to read newsprint secondary.An estimated 310,000 persons cannot see featuresand/or moving objects; of these, 59,000 cannotsee light.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Income

The number of persons reporting visionimpairment differs greatly by family income.The prevalence rate per 1,000 persons with in-comes under $2,000 was 92.3 compared with15.9 for persons with incomes over $7,000(table 3). Persons under 65 years of age withincomes under $2,000 had a prevalence ratemore than four times larger than persons in thesame age group with incomes over $7,000. Per-sons 65 years of age and over in the lowestincome category reported vision impairments ata rate almost twice that of the highest incomecategory. In addition, persons with lower in-comes reported a greater degree of impairmentthan those with higher incomes, particularlyamong persons under 65 years of age (table 4).

Table D. Number of vkua lly impaired personspairment, sex, and age: United

For example, among persons under 65 with in-comes under $2,000, 58.8 percent reported botheyes involved, while the comparable figure forpersons with incomes over $7,000 was 32.4 per-cent.

The higher prevalence of visual impairmentsamong the lower income categories camot beexplained solely by the inability of persons inthe lower income groups to obtain correctivelenses. Recent data from the Health InterviewSurvey indicate that some differences by incomeare found in the percentage of persons wearingcorrective lenses (particularly in the lower agegroups), and that a slightly higher proportionof persons in the lower income categories hadobtained their last glasses over 2 years ago,However, these differences were not large enoughto account for the disparity in impairment rates.

Even though the measure of income used inthe Health Interview Survey is the combinedfamily income, it is reasonable to assume that,at least in families where the major bread-winner is visuallyitself is probably alow income.

Educafion

impaired, the impairmentfactor contributing to the

Persons with less than 9 years of educationreported considerably higher rates of visionimpairment than persons with 9 years or more

with both eyes involved, by degree of im-States, July 1963-June 1964

Degree of impairment Both Male Female 6+4 45-64 65+sexes years years years

Number in thousands

Both eyes involvedl ---------------- 2>666 -1,005 1,661 440 719 1,507

Cannot see features and/ormoving object s-------------------------- 2310 121 189 33 57 22i

Cannot read newsprint ------------------ 287 108 179 207Can see features and moving objects ------ 2,346 878 1,468 4% 6:; 1,280

Cannot read newsprint ------------------ 682 240 442 142 472Can read newsprint --------------------- 1,664 638 1,026 3X 515 808

‘Includesunknown degree of impairment.

259,000 cannot see light.

7

of school, 76 impaired per 1,000 populationas compared with about 23 per 1,000 (table 3).The same pattern is apparent when the rates forpersons 6-64 years and over 64 years of age areconsidered. However, in both age categoriesthe differences in rates between persons with 9-12years and 13 or more years of school were verysmall. The differences in the degree of visionimpairment by education and age are. shown intable 5.

Region

The prevalence rates of vision impairmentsfor the Northeast, Newh Central, and WestRegions were about the same, 24.6, 26.7, and29.9 per 1,000 persons, respectively. However,the rate was considerably higher for the South,41.8 per 1,000 persons (table 3). The samepattern is found when the data are consideredby age (6-64 years and 65 years and over),although there was a greater range among regionsfor the older age group. There were also somedifferences between regions in the degree ofvision impairment, with persons in the Southreporting the greatest degree of impairment(table 6). Howev=, these differences are notas marked as those which were noted for theincome categories.

Color

Nonwhite persons reported a higher prev-alence rate of impaired vision than did whitepersons, 35.4 and 30.7 per 1,000 population(table 3). These differences were consistentfor persons 6-64 years and over 65 yearsalthough the clifferences were slightly greaterfor the older group. In addition, the degree ofimpairment was somewhat lower in the whitepopulation (table 7).

Residence

Persons living in standard metropolitan sta-tistical areas (SMSAts) report the lowest rate ofvision impairment in both broad age categories(table 3). Among persons under 65 years of age,farm residents had the highest prevalence rate,while the highest rate among persons 65 andover was found for nonfarm residents living

outside SMSA’S. However, the degree of the im-pairment differed only slightly for the threeresidence categories (table 7).

LIMITATION OF ACTIVITIES

Each person who reported one or morechronic conditions was asked to select a state-ment, appropriate for his usual activity, ‘whichbest described his limitation-of -activity status.The interview respondent made the selection forchildren and for adults who were not present atthe time of the interview. The degrees of activitylimitation are as follows:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Unable to carry on major activity. (pre-school play, school, ilousewurlq or-work).Limited in amount or kind of majoractivity.Not limited in major activity, but other-wise limited (church, sports, shopping,etc.).Not l~ited in activities.

If a person indicated that he was limited inone of the first three categories, he was askedto specify which chronic condition(s) had causedhis limitation.

Approximately three of five (58.4 percent)of the persons with vision impairments reportedlimitation of activity, but less than half ofthese persons (25.8 percent of all visually imp-aired persons) said that their impaired visionhad been the cause of the limited activity. Tables8 and 9 show the distribution of the visuallyimpaired population by degree of activity limi-tation due to vision defects, according to ageand sex. Tables 10 and 11 show similar datafor those with vision impairment by limitationof activity due to all chronic conditions.

Impaired persons with both eyes involvedwho cannot read newsprint, as expected, re-ported the highest proportion with limitationdue to impaired vision, 58.2 percent. Abou~this same percentage was reported by personsunder 65 and 65 years of age and over, eventhough in all other categories of degree of im-pairment, a higher proportion of the older per-sons were limited. The differences by sex werevery small for the number reporting limitations

8

according to the degree of impairment. Womenwith the more severe degree of vision impair-ments were more likely to report limitationin kind or amount of major activity, while. menwith the more severe impairments reported theywere unable to carry on their major activity.The proportion of persons reporting that theywere limited, but not in their major activity,was relatively small, 4.0 percent for all visuallyimpaired persons.

Tables 12-14 show the type of limitationby more detailed age categories. They alsocompare the number of persons with activitylimitation due to any cause in the visually im-paired population with that in the total popu-lation. When comparing the visually impairedwith the total population, the precaution mentioned

etilier-that is, the differences in age distri-bution even within a given age category-shouldbe kept in mind.

Some of the data shown in tables 8-14 hasbeen summarized in table E to facilitate com-paring the extent of chronic limitation of activityin the visually impaired population with thatin the general population. Among persons in thegeneral population with one or more chronicconditions, 27.9 percent reported limitation ofactivity due to a chronic ailment. The propor-tion of persons with limited activity in thevisually impaired population was 58.4 percent,about twice that of the general population withchronic conditions. This ratio of 2 to 1 decreasedwith advancing age (table E).

Table E. Percent of visually impaired persons and of total population with chroniclimitation of activity, by age, degree of impairment, and cause of limitation: UnitedStates, July 1963-June 1964

Age and degree of impairment

All ages, 6 years and over -----------

6-44 years ------- ------- ------- ------- -----45-64 years --------------------------------65-74 years --------------------------------75 years and over --------------------------

6-64 years -----------------------------65 years and over ----------------------

Degree of impairment

Both eyes involved2------------------------Cannot read newsprint --------------------Can read newsprint -----------------------

One eye involved---------— ----------------

Limitationdue tovision

impairment

Limitation due to anychronic condition

Visually impaired persons

Totalpopula-tion with

1+chroniccondi-

tions

125.8

14.122.629;037.318.733.6

36.158.223.514.1

Percent

158.4

26.853.871.082.141.177.1

71.487.562.143.4

27.9

15.630.553.469.421.259.2

. . .

. . .

. . .● *.

*Includesunknown number of eyes involved.

21ncludes unknown degree of impairments.

Visually Impaired Persons and Employment

The rate of employment was lower amongvisually impaired persons than among personsin the general population. Table F shows that31.2 percent of all visually impaired persons17 years and older were currently employed,as compared with 58.5 percent of the totalpopulation. However, because more than halfof the impaired persons were 65 years or over,this figure is somewhat misleading. When per-sons 17-64 years are compared, the proportionemployed was 54.2 percent among the visuallyimpaired and 64.9 percent for the total population.For all ages 17 and over the employment ratevaried from 11.4 percent for persons who can-not read newsprint to 41.6 percent for thosewith only one eye involved. Age is also animportant factor in employment among the visu-ally impaired. Tables 15-17 present a moredetailed breakdown of employment status.

Even though the percentage of visually im-paired persons in the labor force was consider-ably lower than the percent of the total popu-lation 17 years and over in, the the labor force,the unemployment level of the visually impairedis almost the same as that of the total popu-lation.

Living Arrangements

The living arrangements of visually impairedpersons are compared with those of the totalpopulation in table 18. In general, a slightlyhigher proportion of the visually impaired per-sons were living alone, even within age groups.However, since the differences were small, theymight be explained by the older age distributionof the impaired population, even within the twoage categories shown. The differences in livingarrangements by degree of vision impairmentwere also small.

Table F. Percent of total population and of visually impaired persons aged 17 yearsand over whO are current ly employed, by age, sex, and degree of impairment: ‘UnitedStates, July 1963-June 1964

Characteristic

Tota 1 DovJlat ion

Both sexes ----------------------------------------

Male ----------------------------------------------------Female --------------------------------------------------


Both sexesl ---------------------------------------

Both eyes involved2--------------------------------------Cannot read newsprint ---------------------------------Can read newsprint ------------------------------------

One eye involved ----------------------------------------

Male ----------------------------------------------------Femle --------------------------------------------------

58.5

80.838.5

31.2

22.511.429.041.(

49.:16.;

Percent

T

63.8 67.0

88.1. 89.641.9 45.9

44.5 42.1*28 .8 24.9

49.6 48.967.7 59.(

80.8 72.:36.3 30.1

19.5

8.35.6

100510.9

17.04.4

lIncludes unknown number of eyes involved.

~Includes unknown degree of impairment.

10

Several questions on the vision supplementdealt with the need for aids such as a cane, adog guide, or another person, in getting aroundthe house or traveling outside the house. It isassumed that impaired persons who were notasked the supplement questions would not needan aid; therefore, the base for the percent ofpersons using an aid is the total visually im-paired group. Tables G and 19 show the types ofpersons reported using aids. Nine percent of allvisually impaired persons used an aid of somekind. Of this 9 percent, about 5 percent used acane either with or without the help of anotherperson and about 4 percent needed the assistanceof another person, but did not use a cane. Thedegree of vision impai~ment was the most im-portant factor determining the use of an aid.Only 2 percent of the persons with one eye in-volved used an aid, while 36.3 percent of thepersons with both eyes involved who could notread newsprint used an aid. Older persons weremore likely to use an aid than younger persons,and females were more likely to use an aidthan males. A higher proportion of impairedpersons in low income and low educationalgroups used an aid, although the lowest per-centage was for persons with some high schooleducation. Only one sample respondent reportedthat he used a dog guide.

‘Talking Books, v “Braille, and Financial Aid

The yield of positive response was too lowto allow detailed analysis for severai@te_stionson the vision supplement. However, the totalestimates derived from the responses to thesupplement can be shown. An estimated 50,000persons received “talking books. tt Records main-tained by the Library of Congress, the majorsource of these books, show that 78,000 per-sons received these books during the sameperiod. While virtually all persons who received“talking books” had impairment involving botheyes and could not read newsprint, only 5 per-cent of the persons with this degree of im-pairment were receiving the books, even thoughabout 29 percent reported having heard of them.

Table G. Percent of visus lly impairedpersons aged 6 years and over who usean aid, by sex, age, and degree of im-ps irment: United States, July 1963-June 1964

Characteristic Bothsexes Male Fems le

Both eyes involved,cannot readnewsprint ---------

65 years and over--Both eyes involved,

cannot readnewsprint @ 65years and over --- -

I Percent

;:.; 35.3. 11.0

40.4 37.6

36.916.9

41.4

Table H shows that the level of educationalattainment is highly correlated with knowledgeof “talking books.” Only 16 percent of the seri-ously impaired persons with no high schooleducation had heard of these books as comparedwith 65 percent of those with educational attain-ment beyond high school. Persons who can readnewsprint appear to have more knowledge of“talking books” than persons who cannot readnewsprint; however, because of the relativelysmall number of persons involved, these differ-ences are not significant.

An estimated 58,000 persons have at sometime had instruction in reading braille. Abouttwo-thirds of these people could read braille,but only one-fifth of them were using their knowl-edge.

Using the responses from the vision supple-ment, it was estimated that 168,000 persons werereceiving financial aid because of their vision im-pairment. Half of the persons who reportedreceiving financial aid were under 65 years and86 percent of those reporting aid were in theimpairment category ‘‘Imth eyes involved, cannotread newsprint. ” It should be kept in mind thatthe supplement questions were asked of onlyone-third of the total number of impaired per-sons, i.e., the most seriously impaired. Elevenpercent of those who were questioned, reportedreceiving financial aid.

11

Table H. Number and percent of personsgiven a vision supplement who reportedhaving heard about “talking books,” bydegree of impairment, age, family in-come, and educational level: UnitedStates, July 1963-June 1964

Characteristic

Totall---.-----

Degree of visuallm~amment

Both eyes involved2--Cannot read news-

print -------------Can read news-

print -------------One eye involved -----

6-64 years -----------65 years and over----

Income

Under $2,000---------$2,000-$3,999--------$4,000-$6,999--------$7,000 and over ------

Educational level

Under 9 years --------9-12 years -----------13 years and over----

Numberin

thousands

411

369

278

9136

190221

133

::76

154153

72

Percent

27.8

30.2

28.8

35.415.5

41.021.8

19.632.735.742.9

16.148.664.9

lIncludes unknown number of eves in-vo lved.

.

21ncludes unknown degree of impairment.

Functional Limitations

Several questions on the supplement elicited

information about social and recreational activi-ties, for example, club activities, visiting friendsand relatives, and reading. Since these questionswe=e asked of only one-third of all visually im-

paired persons and since it would be expectedthat some of the impaired persons who werenot asked these questions could have respondedpositively, the bases for the percentages shownin tables J and 20 are restricted to persons towhom the supplement was administered.

One-third of the respondents to the vision

supplement said that their vision problem inter-fered with visiting friends. Those with more thanahigh school education felt most restricted. The

higher educational group alsoreported thehighestproportion of interference with club activities.This, of course, could be due in part to greater

activity in clubs among the more highly educatedin the general population. Overall, approximately

30 percent reported some interference with clubactivities. This includes cutting down on clubactivities as well as not joining clubs because of

vision problems.About 60 percent of the persons tow”hom the

supplement was given reported that their visioninterfered with reading. These figures rangedfrom a 10,: of 35 percent for persons with both

eyes involved who could read newsprintto69per-cent for persons with both eyes involved who

could not read newsprint. While one might expectthe latter figureto be higher, it is reasonabletoassume that some-people would not read even if

they had useful vision.

Age at Which Vision Impairment

First Interfered With Daily Activities

The persons who were asked about theirvision problems interfering with social and

recreational activities were also asked at whatage their vision had first interfered with dailyactivities. Table 21 shows the age at which thevision impairment first interfered, by degree of

impairment, sex, and age. This table gives onlya rough indication since the numbers involvedwere too small to permit cross-classification

of the variables by age. Of the impaired per-sons who received a supplement, 5.4 percent

reported interference with daily activities sincebirth and another 7.8 percent before the ageof 17, while 43.7 percent reported that inter-ference began after the age of 65. There wasa

slight tendency for the more severe impair-ments to begin later in life. For persons under

45 years, about one-third reported having visualtrouble since birth and an additional one-thirdfirst noticed problems before they were 17 years

old. About two-thirds of the persons 65 yearsand over first had interference with daily activ-

ities after they were 65, while a negligible num-

12

Table J. Percent of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree offunctional limitation, degree of impairment, age, family income, educational level,and sex: United States, July 1963-June 1964

Total

Characteristic

Degree of visual impairment

Totall----------------------------..----

Both eyes involved2--------------------------Cannot see newsprint-----------------------Can see newsprint........--..-.............

One eye involved-----------------------------

6-64 years--------................-----------65 years and over-----------”-------------------

Family income

Under $2,000--------------------.----”-.------$2,000-$3,999-------------.-”-----------------$4,000-$6,999-----------------“....-..---------$7,000 and over---------.---.-..,----------...

Educational.level

Under 9 years---------.----------------------9-12 years------------------------------------13 years and over-----------------------------

All ages, 6 years and over-----------,--

6-64 years-------------------------------------65 years and over------------------------------

Female

All ages, 6 years and over-------------

6-64 years-------------------------.=--------65 years and over---...,----------------------

Trouble seeing hasinterfered with:

100.0

100.0100.O100.0100.0

100.0100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0

Percent

33.5

34.837.923.727.6

25.537.3

33.834.030.432.8

34.432.742.3

34.5

30.037.0

33.1

22.137.5

29.9

31.633.026.122.0

24.632.4

27.934.727.232.8

28.535.242.3

24.5

23.524.8

33.3

25.136.4

59.1

62.069.035.446.6

54.061.3

01.560.955.852.5

62.255.247.7

61.3

57.563.5

57.8

51.060.4

lIncludes unknown numberof eyes involved.Includes unknown degree of impairment.

13

ber of persons65 years andover reported troublesince birth. It is possible that respondents inthis age group were unable to recall accuratelywhen their vision had first interfered with theiractivity. In addition, there is some evidence of

an increase in recent years in vision impairmentspresent since births

Vision Impairments

and Other Selected Conditions

Tables K and 22-24 indicate that there isa higher prevalence of selected chronic con-ditions among visually impaired persons thanamong the total population. The most meaningfulcomparison between the impaired and the total

population is between the age group 65 yearsand over because the age distributions for the

3Nation~l Society for the Prevention of Blirdmss, lnC.:

Estimated Statistics on Blindness and Vision Problems. 1966.

p. 47.

all-ages group and the under- 65 group are quite

different. The major differences between the im-paired and the total population 65 years and overwere with hearing impairments, diabetes, vas-cular lesions of the central nervous system,hypertensive heart disease, and general arterio-sclerosis. For example, 20.6 percent of the totalpopulation 65 years and over reported hearingimpairments, while 34.7 percent of the visuallyimpaired in’ the same age group reported hearingimpairments in addition to their vision problems.Overall, 22.9 percent of the visually impairedreported hearing impairments.

The degree of vision impairment is alsoa factor in the number of other chronic con-

ditions which visually impaired persons report.Greater proportions of persons with both eyesinvolved reported other conditions than did per-sons with one eye involved, and persons who couldnot read newsprint reported more conditionsthan those who could read newsprint.

Table K. percent of Persons who reported selected chronic conditions for the tots 1population and for v;sually impaire~ persons aged 6 years and over, by age and degreeof impairment: Ufiited States, July 1963-June 1964

Selected chronic condition

Hearing impairments -----------------Goiter or thyroid trouble -----------Diabetes ----------------------------Anemia ------------------------------Vascular lesions of the central

nervous system ---------------------Selected heart diseases -------------Hypertensive heart disease ----------Hyper-tension without heart

involvement ------------------------General arteriosclerosis ------------

Totalpopulation

Allages,

6+years

65+years

3.611.2

5.1

4.7 16.20.5 3.6


ZEzEE

22.9

:::1.4

4.29.66.1

14.43.4

Percent

3;.;

9:11.7

1;:;10.1

18.96.3

28.2

M1.8

1;:28.4

16.44.8

16.92.13.80.8

:::3.6

12.01.9

000

14

DETAILED TABLES

Page

Table 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

Number, percent distribution, and rate per 1,000 visually impaired persons aged6 years and over,by degree of impairment according to sex and ageiUnited States,July 1963-June l964-------------------------------------------------------------

Number and rate per 1,000 persons in total population, and number and percentdistribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree ofimpairment according to sex and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964---------

Total population, and number and rate per 1,000 visually impaired persons aged 6years and over,by age and demographic characteristics: United States, July 1963-June l964-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover, by degree of impairment according to age and family income: United States,July 1963-June l964-------------------------------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover, by degree of impairment according to age and educational level of individ-ual: United States, July 1963-June 1964-----------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover, by degree of impairment according to age and region: United States, July1963-June l964------------------------------------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover, by degree of impairment according to age, color, and”residence: Unit-1States, July 1963-June l964-----------------------------------------------------

Number of visually impaired persons a ed 6 years and over,by activit limitationdue to impaired vision, sex, age, an$ degree of impairment: United ~tates, JUIY1963-June l966------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by ac-tivity limitation due to impaired vision according to sex, age and degree of im-pairment: United States, July 1963-June 1964------------------------------------

Number of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over,by activity limitationdue to any cause, sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, JUIY 1963-June l964------------------------------------------------------------------------

Percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by ac-tivity limitation due to any cause according to sex, age, and degree of impair-ment: United States, July 1963-June 1964----------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andovzr, by activity limitation due to impaired vision according to sex and age:United States, July 1963-June 1964------------------------------------- ----------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover, by activity limitation due to any cause according to sex and age: UnitedStates, July 1963-June l964-----------------------------------------------------

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

26

28

30

32

34

35

15

DETAILED TABLES -Cnn.-----

Table 14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Number and percent distribution of total population aged 6 years and over with Ior more chronic conditions, by activity limitation due to any cause according tosex and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964----------------------------------

Number and percent of visually impaired persons aged 17 years and over, by laborforce status, sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June1964---------------------------------.---.-------------.-------------.-------.--,.

Number and percent of visually impaired persons aged 17 years and over, by laborforce status, sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-Junel964-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number and percent of total population aged 17 years and over, by labor forcestatus, sex, and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964-------------------------

Number and percent distributionof total population and visually impaired personsaged 17 years and over,by living arrangements according to degree of impairment,sex, and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964--------------------------------

Number and percent of visually intpairedpersons aged 6 years and overan aid,

who usedby type of aid, degree of impairment, sex, age, family income, and edu-

cational level: United States, July 1963-June 1964------------------------------

Number and percent of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over who weregiven the vision supplement, by degree of functional limitation,sex, age, familyincome, educational level, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June l964------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years andover who were given the vision supplement, by age at which visual impairmentfirst interfered with daily activities according to degree of impairment, sex,and age; United States, July 1963-June 1964--------------------------------------

Number and percent of persons in the total population and of visually impairedpersons aged 6 years and over with selected chronic conditions, by degree of im-pairment: United States, July 1963-June 1964-------------------------------------

Number and percent of persons in the total population and visually impaired per..sons aged 6 years and over with selected chronic conditions,

.,

States, July 1963-June l964--------------------------------------~~-~~~~--!~~!fi!

Number and percent of persons in the total population and of visually impairedp;ons with selected chronic conditions, by sex: United States, July 1963-June

.-----------------.----=---------------------------------------------------.,

Page

36

37

38

39

40

42

43

44

45

46

47

16

Table 1. Number, percent distributionand over, by degree of impairment,

, and rate per 1,000 visually impaired persons aged 6 yearsaccording to sex and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[Datame IMWWIcmImwwlmldinterviewsorthecitilim, ncminstitutionalpopulation. The survey design, general qualifications, and in formn(ionon thereliahility or the cstimatesaregiwn in 4ppendix I. Definitions oftmmscmciv enin 4ppen(iix II]


Total, one or both eyes involvedl ----------------

Both eyes involvedz ------------------------------------Cannot read newsprint --------------------------------

Cannot see features, moving objects, or light------Cannot see features, moving objects,can see”light--Can see features or moving objects -----------------Can see both features and moving objects -----------

Can read newsmint -----------------------------------

One

Cannot see features andjor moving objects,or greatdeal.of trouble seeing----------------------------

Some trouble seeing --------------------------------None or hardly any trouble seeing ------------------eye involved ---------------------------------------


Both eyes involved2------------------------------------Catinotread newsprint -------------4------------- .....

Cannot see features, moving objects, or light------Cannot see features, moving objects,can see light--Can see features or moving objects -----------------Can see both features and moving objects -----------

Can read newsprint -----------------------------------

One

Cannot see ‘features and/or moving objects,or greatdeal of trouble seeing----------------------------

Some trouble seeing--------------------------------None or hardly any trouble seeing------------------eye involved---------------------------------------


Both eyes invdlved2 --------------------------- ---------Cannot read newsprint --------------------------------

Cannot see features, moving objects,or light-------Cannot see features, moving object% can see light--Can see features or moving objects -----------------Can see both features and moving objects -----------

Can read newsprint --------- “-------- -----.---------.-Cannot see features and/or moving objects,or greatdeal of trouble seeing----------------------------

Some trouble seeing--------------------------------None or hardly any trouble seeing------------------

Ohe eye involved--------- ---.----- --------- ------------

Totalrisuallyimpairedpersons

65

Male Female ~:;:: yearsimrl----I

,.I over

5.029

2,6669695973

156682

1,687

140116

1,4312,281

100.0

53.019.31.21.5

1:::33.5

2.8

2;::45.4

31.:

16.6

:::0.5

:::10.6

0.90.7

1!:?

Number in thousands

2.270

1,005348*19*3O

2%651

55*41555

1,229

2.759

1,661621*4O*43

4::1,036

86

8;;1,052

2.614

1,159290*18*29*34210865

57*37771

1,411


100.0

44.315.3*f).8*1.32.610.628.7

2.4*1.824.454.1

100.0

60.222.5*1.4*1.63.5

16.037.5

3.1

3?:;38.1

100.0

44.311.1*().7*1.1*1.3

3!::

2.2*1.429.554.0

Rate per 1,000 persons

13.0 19.94.5 7.4

*O-2 *().5*(3.4 *O-50.83.1 M8.5 12.5

0.7*O-5 M

10.51;:3 12.6

I

18.2

8.12.0

*O-1*(3.2*(3.21.56.0

0.4*O-3

M

2,415

1,507679*40*44122472822

83

6%870

100.0—

62.428.1*~.7*1.85.119.534.0

3.4

2;::36.0

141.9

88.539.9*2.3*2.6

2;:;48.6

2::38.851.1

IIncludes unknown number of eyes involved.


17

Table 2. Number and rate per 1,000 persons in total population, and number and percent distribu-tion of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree of impairment according tosex and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[Data are based cm household interviews of the civilian, noninstitutional population. The survey design, general qualifications, and information

on the reliability of the estimates are given in Appendix I. Definitions oftenns aregiven in A~Dendix II]. .

Sex and age

Both sexes

All ages, 6 years and over-------

6-16 years------------------........---17-44 years----------------------------45-64 years-----------------------------65-74 years----------------------------75 years and over----------------------

6-64 years-------------------------65 years and over------------------

Male


6-16 years------------------.........--17-44 years----------------------------45-64 years---------..-.-.-.,-----------65-74 years-----------------------------75 years and over----------------------

6-64 years -------------------------65 years and over-------------------

Female

All ages, 6 years and over -------

6-16 years--------...................”.17-44 years-----------------------------45-64 years...........................-65-74 years----------------------------75 years and over----------------------

6-64 years-------------------------65 years and over------------------

Totti1population

160,824

40,95665,24437,60211,1205,903

143,80217,022

77,398

20,83030,87218,1535,0312,51269,8557,544

83,426

20,12634,37319,4496,0883,39073,9489,479

Totalvisuallyimpairedpersonsl


Both eyes involved I

mi’’vedNumber in thousands

5.029

314910

1,3911,0871,3282,6142,415

2,270

171475679::;

1,325945

2,759

142435712645826

1,2891,471

2,66E

131310719590916

1,1591,507

1,005

13301194320490514

1,661

1:!!$;:

596669992

969

24

1;;188491290679

348

**25

::165118229

621

**48116123326171449

1,687

107236522401421865822

651

*47101221128;;;

282

1,036

1!;301273267496540

;! , 281

174588649484386

1,,411870

1,,229.—

105346364244170816413

1,052

2:!284241216595457

See footnotes at end of table.

18

Table 2. Number and rate per 1,000 persons in total populationtion of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over,

, and number and percent distribu-by degree of impairment according to

sex and age: United States, July 1963-June 1964-Con.(

[Data are based onhousehold intertie,vs of thetitilian, noninstitutional population. Thes"rvey detign, genemlq.alifications, andinformationon thereliability of the estimates are given in Appendix I. Detinitionsof terms are given in .AppcndixII]

Sex and age

Both sexes


6-16 ye~rs -----------------------------17-44 years ----------------------------45-64 Yeats ----------------------------65-74 years--+-------------------------75 years and over ----------------------

6-64 years -------------------------65 years and over------------------

Male


6-16 years-----------------------------17-44 years ----------------------------45-64 years ----------------------------65-74 years ----------------------------75 years and over ----------------------

6-64 years -------------------------65 years and over------------------

Female

All ages, 6 years and over -------

6-16 years -----------------------------17-44 years ----------------------------45-64 years ----------------------------65-74 years-------- --------------------75 years and over----------------------

6-64 years -------------------------65 years and over ------------------

Totalpopulation

Rate per1,000

persons

31.3

7.713.937.097.8

225.018.2

141.9

29.3

8.215.437.487.9

199.819.0

125.3

33.1

12+36.6

105.9243.717.4

155.2

]lncludes ~nkno~ number of eyes involved.

‘Includes unknown degree of impairment.


100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0100.0



Tota12 T OneCannot Can eyeread read involvednews - news-print printII I I


53.0

41.734.151.754.369.044.362.4

44.3

36.826.744.343.963.737.054.4

60.2

47.942.158.761.472.251.967.4

19.3

u13.917.337.011.128.1

15.3

$C5.;11.314.732.9

2;:;

22.5

**11.O16.319.139.513.330.5

33.5

34.125.937.536.931.733.134.0

28.7

*27.521.332.529.030.727.829.8

37.5

42.331.042.342.332.338.536.7

45.4

55.464.646.744.529.154.036.0

54.1

61.472.853.655.233.961.643.7

38.1

47.955.639.937.426.246.231:1

NOTE: For official population estimates for more general use,see Bureau of the Census reportson the civilian population of the United States,in Current Population Reports: Series P-20, P-25,and P-60.

19

Table 3. Total population, and number and rate per 1,000 visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, byage and demographic characteristics: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[D8t. ar61,n..(,d onhou.ehol,l,nt.r$, c!$. o((h. (,,\,. n.nonsn.,t(u{,onnl,,..,,l8$t,~n. Tl>(. -ur,,y,l..r(,n802

13,317

21,344

46,345

55,107

24,118

57,816

19,850

42,018

36,172

40,524

44,186

22,920

I.27,1OO

16,702

92,860

41,816

9,126

18.2 17,022 2,415

19,189

25,813

49,276

57,571

34,307

62,231

21,606

42,681

40,686

45,677

48,997

25,465

142,800

18,024

102,830

47,709

10,285

1,771

1,043

993

913

2,609

1,482

492

447

1,001

1,219

2,047

762

4,391

638

2,706

1,914

410

92.3

40.4

20,2

15.9

646

504

682

641

1,010

985

284

336

487

578

1,156

394

2,201

413

1,473

906

235

48.5

23.6

14.7

11.6

41.9

17.0

14.3

8.0

13.5

14.3

26.2

17.2

17.3

24.7

15.9

21.7

25.8

5,872

4,469

2,930

2,465

10,189

4,415

1,756

662

4,514

5,152

4,811

2,545

15,700

1,322

9,970

5,893

1,159

1,126

540

311

271

1,599

498

208

111

514

642

891

369

2,190

225

1,232

1,007

176

191,,8

120.8

106,,1

109.9

156.9

112

Table 4. Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree ofimpairment according to age and family income: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[Dn

65 years and over

All inc0mes:---------------------------------------------

Under $2,OOO---------------------------------------------------$2,OOO-$3,999--------------------------------------------------$4,000-$6,999 --------------------- -------------------- .........$7,000 and over------------------------------------------------

11 Degreecf visual impairment

Total

I-rriBoth eyes involved

visuallyimpaired Onepersons) Cannot Can eye

Total? read read invoLvednews - news -print print

Number in thousands

5,029]\ 2,6661, 9691 1,6871 2,281

1,126 707 337 368540

399320 1:: 185

311214

184 102271

122188 77 109 77


100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

IT53.0 19.3 33.5

61.4 25.8 35.453.3 18.5 34.844.7 14.2 30.243.5 11.8 31.1

-4-J+=58.8 18,4 40.146.8 11,5 35.338.3 8.8 29.232.4 *5.O 27.3

45.4

36.945.153.655.0

54.0

39.250.860.366.1

36.0

35.439.639.228.4

‘Includes unknown number of eves involved.

‘Includes unknown degree of impairment.~lncludes unkno~ income.

21

Table 5. Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree ofimpairment according to age and educational level of individual: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[Data nr. b.s.don bo..,,bol,l lnt.c$,.s$. nin.(,t.l,on.l population. Th...r!ey,l..,cn. g.n.rnl q.alifi

Table 6. Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by degree ofimpairment according to age and region: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[Dntnnrcl,ns,.cl I. DrfinitKMwfJf term nri.~ixen in Armmdix 111

Age and region

All ages, 6 years and over

All regions ----------------------------------------------

Northeast ------------------------------------:-----------------~;;; Central --------------------------------------------------

------- .......----------------- .......-------------- -.----West -----------------------------------------------------------

6-64 years

All regions ----------------------------------------------

Northeast ------------------------------------------------------North Central --------------------------------------------------South----------------------------------------------------------West -----------------------------------------------------------

65 years and over—.

All regions ----------------------------------------------

Northeast------------------------------------------------------North Central --------------------------------------------------South----------------------------------------------------------West -----------------------------------------------------------


All regions ----------------------------------------------


6-64 years

All regions ----------------------------------------------


65 years and over

All regions ----------------------------------------------


~lncludes ~nkno~ n~ber of eyes involved.


TotalJisuallyimpaired?ersonsl

5.029

1,0011,2192,047

762

2,614

487578

1,156394

2.415

514642891369

100.0—

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

Loo. o100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

J


Both eyes involv;d

II ICannot Can

Totalz read readnews - news -print print

Number in thousands

2.666

51361.9

1,167367

1,159

198234562165

1,507

315384605202

Oneeye

involved

9691 1,6871 2,281

197 313 484249 369 577407 755 851115 250 369

290 865 1,411

I 1

56 ‘ 140 28866 169 338144 417 ;;;*24 140

679 822 870

141 173 196184 201 240264 27591 ?% I 160


53.0—

51.250.857.048.2

44.3

40.740.548.641.9

62.4

61.3:5.;

54:7

19.3

19.720.419.915.1

11.1

11.511.412.5*6.1

28.1

27.428.729.624.7

33.5_

31.3;:.;

32:8

33.1

28.729.236.135.5

34.0

33.731.337.929.8

45.4

48.447.341.648.4

54.0

59.158.549.853.0

36.0

23

Table 7. Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, bydegree of impairment according to age,1964

color$ and residence: United States, July 1963-June

[Datame based on householdkkrviews ofthecivilian,nonimstitutiomdpopula,icm.The survey design, general qualifications, and informationon thereliability of theestimates are given in Appendix I. Definitions ofterrns are given in Appendix II]

Age, color, and residence


tiite ----------------------------------------------Nonwhite-------------------------------------------

6-64 years

Wite------=---------------------------------------Nonwhite-------------------------------------------

65 years and over

~ite ----------------------------------------------Nonwhite-------------------------------------------


All residences-----’--------------------------

SWA-----------------------------------------------Nonfam --------------------------------------------Fam-----------------------------------------------

6-64 years

All residences-------------------------------

S~A----------------------------------------+------Nonfam --------------------------------------------Fam-----------------------------------------------

65 years and over

All residences -------------------------------

SMSA-----------------------------------------------Nonfam --------------------------------------------Farm-----------------------------------------------


Wite ----------------------------------------------Nonwhite-------------------------------------------

6-64 years

Wite ----------------------------------------------Nonwhite -------------------------------------------

65 years and over

Wite ----------------------------------------------Nonwhite-------------------------------------------


4,391638

2,201413

2,190225

5,029

2,7061,:;;

2,614

1,473906235

2,415

1,2321,007

176

100.0100.0

100.0100.0

100.0100.p


Both eyes involved

OneGannet Can eye

Tota12read read involved

news - news-print print

Number in thousands

2,:.5;

911249

1,348158

2,666

1,3871,055

224

1,159

627420112

1,507

760634112

816153

22169

59584

969

4534;:

290

147117*26

679

30631954

1,433254

686179

74775

1,687

927616145

865

47730287

822

45031458


51.463.8

41.460.3

61.670.2

18.624.0

10.016.7

27.237.3

32.639.8

31.243.3

34.133.3

2,072210

1,259152

81358

2,281-

1,277825179

1,411

824467120

870

4543;;

47.232.9

;;.;

“!

37.125.8

See footnotes at end of table.

24

Table 7. Number and percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, bydegree of impairment according to age, color, and residence: United States, July 1963-June1964—Con.

[Data are based on household interviews of the civilian, noninstitutional population. The survey design, general qualifications, snd information

onthe reliability of theestimatesaregiverrinAppendixI.DefinitioIIsoftermssregiveninAppendixII]

Age, color, and residence


All residences-------------------------------

SMSA-------------------- ---------------------------Nonfarm--------------------------------------------Fam-----------------------------------------------

6-64 years

AU residences-------------------------------

S~A-----------------------------------------------Nonfam --------------------------------------------Farm -------------------- ---------------------------

65 years and over

All residences-------------------------------

SMA----,-------------------------------------------Nonfam --------------------------------------------Fare--a -------------------------------------------




Tota12

I ICannot Canread read

news - news -print print


100.0

T53.0

100.0 51.3100.0 55.1~oo.o 54.6

100.0 II 44.3

100.0 II 62.4

100*O 61.7100.0 63.0100.0 63.6

16.7 34.322.8 32.219.3 35.4

I

+10.0 32.412.9 33.3

*11.1 37.0

28.1/ 34.0

Oneeye

involved

24.8 36.531.7 31.230.7 33.0

45.4

47.243.143.7

54.0

55.951.551.1

36.0

36.935.633.5

l~nc~udes~nknom number of eyes involved.


25

Table 8. Number of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by activity limitation due to impairedvision, sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June 1964

[~alafirFl)a

Table 8. Number of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by activity limitation due to impairedvision, sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June 1964--Con.

[Pataar.has,flonho..ehol,l,,)oithee~timatosm- gl~enin \pponr!i\ I.~rfinitxonsoftrrm. nrcgi~cn in lrq, tw!ix II]

Sex, age, and degree of visual impairment

FENAIX


Total impaired persons2----------------

Both q.es involved3--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

6-64 years

Total impaired personas ----------------

Both eyea involveds --------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

65 vears and over

Total impaired persons2----------------

Both eyes involve&3 --------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

Totalvisuallyimpsiredpersons

2,759

1,661621

1,0361,052

1,289

669171496595

1,471

992449540457

—- .—

Nolimita-tion ofactivity

2,053

1,081261817933

1,090

508

4;:558

963

Limitation of activity

-195; 279 106go [ 157 I 146 55

::3~, 132 51119 \’ ~’c29 68 ~ *22

II (

;~32*27

,+.->..-

I

507 II 187 ; 248 73

573 619 ;:: ! 199 57170 : 279 L16 *33401 139 7’:31 84 *24375 ! 83 I *22 ~ 9c~5 *15

lMajor acti”itY refers to abiLity to wOrk> keep house, or engage in school or preschool activities.

2IncLudes unknown number of eyes involved.:1l=cludes ~nknow degree of impairment.

27

Table 9. Percent distribution of visually impaired personsdue to impaired

aged 6 years and over, by activity limitationvision according to sex,

1964age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June

[Dntam. !,.s.,1cm ho.whold tn,cr,,e,,. of the c!v!lim. non!nst,wtional population. Thos.nq design,w-..erdqualifications,andinfmnaticmO.thereliabilityOr[hcrwimn(r. arc ~iven in \ppc.mli\ L Dclinitions of tsrms arc given in Ai-,pendix [[1

.Limitation of activity

Nolimita-tion of Unable to i:i::o::t Limited,

activity Total carry on or kind but notmaj or of major in majoractivityl activityl activityl

Totalvisuallyimpairedpersons


BOTH SEXSS


Total impaired persons~----------------


25.:

36.158.i23-514.1

18.7

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

74.2

63.941.776.685.9

81.3

72.045.280.888.9

66.4

57.740.272.180.9

73.9

61.9.41.173.083.5

78.3

4.012.0

15,521.312.27.9

9.8

Both eyes involved ;)--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

15.631.0

6.83.4

5.16.04.6~!.8

6-64 years

Total impaired persona s---------------- 4.4 4..6

Both eyes involved: --------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

28.055.219.211.1

33.6

42.357.628.019.1

26.1

38.158.927.016.5

21.8

2!:;*3.2*1.4

13.722.810.6

6.5

14.4

16.920.513.710.2

11.0

6.3*8.3

5.8*3.1

3.4

4.0*5. O*3.3*2.4

65 years and over

Total impaired persons~---------------

Both eyes involved’]--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

MALE


Total impaired personsz ----------------

15.8——

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

21.434.210.9

6.6

11.9

21.941.111.8

4.0

3.2

Both eyes involved ~--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved-----------------------------

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

13.317.011.29.1

11.4——

16.1*3O .5*11.9

8.3

10.4—

10.7*1O.5*1O.3ftll) .4

6-64 years

Total impaired persons 2---------------- 5.7 4.7—

9~4 .9+<

*6.29

Table 9. Percent distribution of visually impaired persons aged 6 years and over, by activity limitation~4toC~paired vision according to sex, age, and degree of impairment: United States, July 1963-June

-- .

[Data tire bnscdonhouseholdinterview or the oi,ilian. noninstit.liond populnticm. Th~ wnq do.ifm. pmernl qurJiCxention.. nnd information on the rolinhil,(yof the estimntw me giwn in ,Appcndix I. D~finitions of [crm* nr~ gi~rn )n Ippendit II]


FEMALE



Both eyes involveds --------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------

6-64 years


Both eyes involved 3--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint-------------------------

One eye involved ----------------------------

65 years and over

Total impaired persons ?----------------

Both eyes involvedq --------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved -----------------------------


100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

100.0

100.0100.0M:.:

.

100.0

100.0100.0100.0100.0

I Limitation of activity

74.4

65.142.07’8.988.7

84.6

75.953.283,793.8

65.5

57.837.974.382.1


25.6

34.957.821.211.3

15.4

24.146.816.3~’r3.3

11.lsjoractivity refers to ability to work, keep house, or engage in school or preschool activities.

2Includes unknown number of eyes involved.3 Include5 unknown degree of impairment.

29

Table 10. Number of visually impaired persons aged 6 yeara and over,by activity limitation due to any cauae,sex, age, and degree of impairment: United Statea, July 1963-June 1964

[9.(. am bawd on Imu..hold ,nt.nte,,. of (he cit,l,an, .on,n.Litut,on.l pop.lmon. The suw.y design, pn.ml q.dificatims, and ,nfomation m the mliabilit.j

of the wf, mn((w w? zi, cn in Ipp.nd]i I. Drfinil) on. of term. arc .eiven ]. +ppendix III

Sex, age, and degree of viaua 1 impairment

BOTH SEXES


Total impaired persons?----------------

Both eyes involved:)--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved-----------------------------

6-64 vears

Total impaired persons! ----------------

Both eyes involved:)--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved-----------------------------

65 years and over

Total impaired persons?----------------.— _

Both eyes involved:]--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved-----------------------------

NALS


Total impaired personal----------------

Both eyes involved:;--------------------------Cannot read newsprint ----------------------Can read newsprint -------------------------

One eye involved-----------------------------

6-64 years

Total impaired persons?----------------


One eye involved -----------------------------

65 years and over

Total impaired peraons~----------------


One eye involved -----------------------------


5,029

2,666969

1,6872,281

2,614

1,15$29(86:

1,411

2,415

1,507675822870

2,270

1,005348651

1,229

1,325

490118369816

945

514229282413

ILimitation of activity

No

limita-tion of

r

Unable to

activity Total carry onmajoractivityl

I II

Number in thousands

2,092

762121640

1,290

1,539

492

4:;1,020

553

270

2::270

994

274Y

Table 10. Number of visually impaired persoqs aged 6 years and over, by activity limitation due to any cause,sex, age, and degree of lmpammant: United States, July 1963-June 1964—Con.

LDntn arc. hwod m ho.schold intem’im,. of the civilinn. nmin$

Documents

stacks.cdc.gov · NATIONAL CENTER I Series 10 For HEALTH STATISTICS Number 46 VITAL and HEALTH STATISTICS DATA FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEV characteristics of Visually Impaired