Hearing Difficulty, Vision Trouble, and Balance Problems Among Male Veterans and Nonveterans

Objective-This report describes hearing difficulty, vision trouble, dual sensory impairment (hearing and vision loss), and balance problems among male veterans and nonveterans. Methods-Sample adult data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to assess degree of hearing difficulty, vision trouble, and dual sensory impairment in men aged 18 and over by veteran status. Data from the 2016 NHIS Sample Adult Balance Supplement were also used to create estimates of balance or dizziness problems for men by veteran status. Results-Male veterans were significantly less likely to have excellent or good hearing than nonveterans (72.9% compared with 84.1%), and significantly more likely to have a little or moderate trouble hearing (23.2% compared with 13.6%), as well as more likely to have a lot of hearing difficulty or to be deaf (3.9% compared with 2.4%). Male veterans were also more likely to have dual sensory impairment and balance problems than nonveterans (5.0% compared with 2.5% and 24.3% compared with 18.7%, respectively). When data were stratified by age, male veterans aged 18-44 were over three times more likely to have a little or moderate trouble hearing compared with nonveteran men in the same age group (18.0% compared with 5.3%). Male veterans in age groups 45-64 and 65-74 were also more likely to have a little or moderate trouble hearing compared with nonveteran men in the same age groups. When the data were stratified by age, male veterans and nonveterans had similar percentages of dual sensory impairment. Lastly, male veterans in age groups 45-64 and 65-74 were more likely to have balance problems than nonveteran men in the same age groups.