TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and etiologies of adult communication disabilities in the United States
T2 - Results from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey
AU - Morris, Megan A.
AU - Meier, Sarah K.
AU - Griffin, Joan M.
AU - Branda, Megan E.
AU - Phelan, Sean M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Background Communication disabilities, including speech, language and voice disabilities, can significantly impact a person's quality of life, employment and health status. Despite this, little is known about the prevalence and etiology of communication disabilities in the general adult population. Objectives To assess the prevalence and etiology of communication disabilities in a nationally representative adult sample. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study and analyzed the responses of non-institutionalized adults to the Sample Adult Core questionnaire within the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. We used respondents' self-report of having a speech, language or voice disability within the past year and receiving a diagnosis for one of these communication disabilities, as well as the etiology of their communication disability. We additionally examined the responses by subgroups, including sex, age, race and ethnicity, and geographical area. Results In 2012 approximately 10% of the US adult population reported a communication disability, while only 2% of adults reported receiving a diagnosis. The rates of speech, language and voice disabilities and diagnoses varied across gender, race/ethnicity and geographic groups. The most common response for the etiology of a communication disability was "something else." Conclusions Improved understanding of population prevalence and etiologies of communication disabilities will assist in appropriately directing rehabilitation and medical services; potentially reducing the burden of communication disabilities.
AB - Background Communication disabilities, including speech, language and voice disabilities, can significantly impact a person's quality of life, employment and health status. Despite this, little is known about the prevalence and etiology of communication disabilities in the general adult population. Objectives To assess the prevalence and etiology of communication disabilities in a nationally representative adult sample. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study and analyzed the responses of non-institutionalized adults to the Sample Adult Core questionnaire within the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. We used respondents' self-report of having a speech, language or voice disability within the past year and receiving a diagnosis for one of these communication disabilities, as well as the etiology of their communication disability. We additionally examined the responses by subgroups, including sex, age, race and ethnicity, and geographical area. Results In 2012 approximately 10% of the US adult population reported a communication disability, while only 2% of adults reported receiving a diagnosis. The rates of speech, language and voice disabilities and diagnoses varied across gender, race/ethnicity and geographic groups. The most common response for the etiology of a communication disability was "something else." Conclusions Improved understanding of population prevalence and etiologies of communication disabilities will assist in appropriately directing rehabilitation and medical services; potentially reducing the burden of communication disabilities.
KW - Communication disability
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Etiology
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U2 - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2015.07.004
DO - 10.1016/j.dhjo.2015.07.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 26303018
AN - SCOPUS:84961933384
SN - 1936-6574
VL - 9
SP - 140
EP - 144
JO - Disability and Health Journal
JF - Disability and Health Journal
IS - 1
ER -