CDC Proposes Removing Disability Questions from Annual Health, Raising Concerns About Disability Data

A proposed overhaul of the National Health Interview Survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) involves significantly shortening the questionnaire and eliminating several disability-related inquiries, such as those regarding cognitive function, use of hearing and mobility aids, and fatigue. Advocacy groups and researchers have criticized these changes, warning that they could lead to a substantial undercounting of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities – a group that already experiences high rates of chronic health conditions and severe health disparities. While a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson indicated that the changes are aimed at lowering data collection costs, critics argue that truncating this data will impair the government’s ability to monitor health outcomes and provide adequate support programs.