Prevalence of disabilities among older U.S. adults in 2016, by poverty level

Respondents were asked “Are you deaf or do you have serious difficulty hearing?” (hearing); “Are you blind or do you have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses?” (vision); “Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?” (cognition); “Do you have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?” (mobility); “Do you have difficulty dressing or bathing?” (self-care); and “Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping?” (independent living). Respondents who declined to answer, reported “don’t know,” and other missing responses were excluded from the analyses.

Each disability type might not be independent; a respondent might have two or more disability types.