摘要：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. Americans are living longer and are delaying retirement. As a result, the number of older US workers is increasing rapidly, with more than 40 million American workers 65 years and older projected to be in the workforce by 2012. 1 Older age is associated with a higher prevalence of sensory impairment, 2 , 3 which in turn is associated with an increased risk of occupational injury. 4 – 6 One public health implication of an increasingly older workforce is a continued rise in workplace injuries. An estimated 3.9 million cases of workplace injuries were reported in 2006, 7 a disproportionate amount of which were among older employed men. 8 Research on the prevalence of sensory impairment by occupational and industrial worker groups is needed to identify older US workers in greatest need of workplace accommodations. We examined the prevalence of vision and hearing impairment among older workers with data from a nationally representative sample of US worker groups.
