Trends and differential use of assistive technology devices: United States, 1994

This report presents data on annual estimates of the prevalence of use of selected assistive technology devices for vision, hearing, mobility, and orthopedic impairments, including missing limbs. Also presented are statistics on trends in the prevalence of use of selected mobility assistive technology devices for the years 1980, 1990, and 1994.

The data used for this report are from the 1994 National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D), Phase I, which was co-sponsored by a consortium of U.S. Federal agencies and private foundations. All estimates are based on data from the NHIS-D, Phase I, which represent the civilian, noninstitutional population of the United States.

An estimated 7.4 million persons in the U.S. household population used assistive technology devices for mobility impairments, 4.6 million for orthopedic impairments (including missing limbs), 4.5 million for hearing impairments (not including impairments fully compensated by hearing aids), and 0.5 million for vision impairments. Use of any mobility device for all ages had the highest prevalence rate at 28.5 per 1,000 persons. There was a positive correlation between an increase in age and the increase in the prevalence rate of device usage; for example, of persons in the age group 65 years and over, the rate of mobility, hearing, and vision device usage was more than 4 times the rate for the total population.

Assistive technology use has increased because of population size, age composition changes, and a change in the rate of use. Medical and technological advances along with public policy initiatives have also contributed to increased usage.