4727.0.55.002 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2012-13

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 27/11/2013 First Issue

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Contents >> Health Conditions >> Sight and hearing

SIGHT AND HEARING

Definition

This topic covers detailed information about sight and hearing, including conditions that can be corrected (for instance by glasses) through to total blindness or deafness.

Population

Information was obtained for all persons in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS).

Methodology

Respondents in non-remote areas were first asked whether or not they were colour blind (not conceptually considered to be a long term condition but is included as a long-term condition in the ICD10). Then all persons were asked whether they wore glasses or contact lenses to correct or partially correct their eyesight. Persons who did so were shown the following prompt card listing a number of sight conditions which are currently corrected or partially corrected by glasses or contact lenses, and asked to select any conditions they may have had:

astigmatism
short sightedness/myopia/difficulty seeing objects in the distance
macular degeneration
other age related sight problems/presbyopia
long sightedness/hyperopia/difficulty seeing objects close up
other (one other eye sight problem could be recorded).

More than one response was allowed.

All persons were then asked whether they had any other sight problems. A list of conditions was provided to interviewers to make it easier to record the information. The listed categories were:

astigmatism
short sightedness/myopia/difficulty seeing objects in the distance
macular degeneration
other age related sight problems/presbyopia
long sightedness/hyperopia/difficulty seeing objects close up
totally blind in both eyes
totally blind in one eye
partially blind in both eyes
partially blind in one eye
glaucoma
cataracts
trachoma
lazy eye/strabismus
retinopathy
other (one other eye sight problem could be recorded).

More than one response was allowed.

Respondents who had previously reported having diabetes or high sugar levels and also a sight problem were asked whether any recorded sight conditions were caused by diabetes or high sugar levels and the time since they last consulted an eye specialist about that sight condition. For respondents with diabetes or high sugar levels who did not report that their sight problem was a result of their condition or reported that they did not have a sight problem, they were asked how long since they last consulted an eye specialist or optometrist.

All respondents were then asked whether they had any hearing problems or problems with their ears which had lasted, or were expected to last for six months or more. As with eye sight problems, a list of conditions was provided to interviewers to make it easier to record the information. The listed categories were:

total deafness
deaf in one ear
hearing loss/partially deaf
tinnitus
Meniere's Disease
Otitis Media
other (one other hearing or ear problem could be recorded).

More than one response was allowed.

Data items

The data items and related output categories for this topic are available in Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

Points to be considered in interpreting data for this topic include the following:

Respondents may have reported sight problems as being corrected by glasses that are not generally considered to be able to be corrected. Data is as reported by the respondent.
Sight and hearing problems are assumed to be current and long-term. As a result some reporting of short-term conditions may have been reported but have been classified as long-term.
Sight and hearing problems do not require diagnosis for reporting.

Comparability with 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)

Results from the 2012-13 NATSIHS are considered directly comparable to the 2004-05 survey.

Comparability with 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS)

Sight and hearing information was not collected for persons aged 15 years and over in the 2008 NATSISS. While information was collected for persons under 15 years of age, questions were different and data is not considered to be directly comparable to the 2012-13 NATSIHS.

Comparability with 2011-12 National Health Survey (NHS)

Sight and hearing data is considered to be directly comparable between the 2011-12 NHS and the 2012-13 NATSIHS.