Evelyn P. Davila ¹, Alberto J. Caban-Martinez ¹, Peter Muennig ², David J. Lee ^1*, Lora E. Fleming ¹, Kenneth F. Ferraro ³, William G. LeBlanc ¹, Byron L. Lam ⁴, Kristopher L. Arheart ¹, Kathryn E. McCollister ¹, Diane Zheng ¹, Sharon L. Christ ⁵

¹ University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
² Columbia University
³ Purdue University
⁴ University of Miami, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
⁵ University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Odum Institute

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: dlee{at}med.miami.edu.

	Abstract

We used 1997–2004 National Health Interview Survey data to evaluate the prevalence of sensory impairment among US workers 65 years and older. Hearing impairment prevalence was 3 times that of visual impairment (33.4% vs 10.2%), and 38% of older workers reported experiencing either impairment. Farm operators, mechanics, and motor vehicle operators had the highest prevalence of sensory impairment. Workplace screening and accommodations, including sensory protection devices for older workers, are warranted given the greater risk for injuries among the sensory impaired.

Key Words: Aging, Disability, Epidemiology, Health Promotion, Occupational Health, Surveillance