QuickStats: Percentage* of Adults Aged ≥45 Years Who Found It Very Difficult or Were Unable to Go Shopping or Attend Movies or Sporting Events,^† by Degree of Hearing Difficulty^§ and Sex — National Health Interview Survey,^¶ United States, 2014–2015

* With 95% confidence intervals indicated with error bars.

^† Based on a question that asked “By yourself, and without using any special equipment (such as a cane or wheelchair), how difficult is it for you to go out to things like shopping, movies, or sporting events?” Response categories consisted of “not at all difficult,” “only a little difficult,” “somewhat difficult,” “very difficult,” “can’t do at all,” or “do not do this activity.” For this figure, response categories “very difficult” and “can’t do at all” are combined.

^§ Based on a question that asked “Do you have difficulty hearing, even when using a hearing aid? Would you say no difficulty, some difficulty, a lot of difficulty, or are you unable to do this?” Response categories “a lot of difficulty” and “unable to do this” are combined for this figure.

^¶ Estimates are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population, are shown for a sample of adults aged ≥45 years, and are age-adjusted to the projected 2000 U.S. population as the standard population using three age groups: 45–64, 65–74, and ≥75 years.