Deafblindness or difficulty seeing and hearing even with correction or hearing aids affects an estimated 7.4% (about 295 000) of New Zealanders, with prevalence rising sharply among older adults. Analysis of 2023 Census data using the Washington Group Short Set (WGSS) highlights not only the scale of this issue but also its inequitable distribution: gender-diverse people, Māori, Pacific peoples, and rural...
No actionable change to clinical protocols, but clinicians should be aware of the high deafblindness prevalence estimate and the equity gaps facing Māori and other underserved groups when planning referral pathways.
The scale of deafblindness revealed by this census analysis calls for greater integration of audiology and vision services, and highlights systemic inequities that the field must address.
- 01Census analysis estimates deafblindness prevalence at 7.4% (~295,000 people) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- 02Cross-sectional design provides population-level snapshot but cannot establish causation.
- 03Equity challenges identified for specific demographic groups (e.g., Māori, Pacific peoples, older adults).
- 04Findings underscore gaps in service provision and disability support systems.
- 05Results are specific to New Zealand but methodology is transferable to other national contexts.
Deafblindness prevalence in Aotearoa New Zealand is approximately 7.4% (~295,000 people) based on census data.
studysupportedPeople with deafblindness in New Zealand face significant equity challenges in accessing services.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42294545
- DOI
- 10.1177/10105395261456806.
- Journal
- International Journal of Audiology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- General population of Aotearoa New Zealand as captured in national census data
- Intervention
- Census-based cross-sectional prevalence analysis of deafblindness
Primary outcomes
Prevalence of deafblindness in the New Zealand population; Equity disparities across demographic groups affected by deafblindness
