For the first time ever, data on deafness or serious difficulty hearing is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Disability and Health Data System (DHDS). State epidemiologists, researchers, and public health professionals need access to accurate and timely data to inform their state’s promotional activities and to improve the health of the population.

CDC’s DHDS has been updated with 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to provide accurate data on adults with disabilities. The system is now easier for users to navigate and locate information on improving the health and well-being of those with disabilities.

CDC’s Disability and Health Branch and the National Association of Chronic Disease offer additional resources on this topic:

• Watch the Beginner’s Guide to DHDS webinar: This course is for users who want to learn the basics of using DHDS to investigate health differences between adults with and without disabilities. Register to listen to the archived webinar. View a transcript of the webinar. 
• Watch the DHDS: Beyond the Basics webinar: For users who want to explore more advanced features, learn tips about utilizing the data currently available in the system, and see examples of how the data can be used to plan for disability inclusive programs and services. Register to listen to the archived webinar. View a transcript of the webinar. 
• Listen to a Health Yeah! Podcast interview with Dr. Shannon Griffin Blake: Dr. Griffin Blake, Chief for the Disability and Health Branch within the Division of Human Development and Disability at CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities discusses the new Disability Health Data System and current programming work in disabilities inclusion with NACDD and beyond. Or read the transcript of the podcast. 

To learn more about the DHDS, visit cdc.gov/disabilities.