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How many people use assistive technology devices?
There are an estimated 13.1 million persons using assistive technology devices in the United States for anatomical, mobility, hearing, vision, speech, or other purposes. The most common devices are canes or walking sticks (4.4 million), hearing aids (3.8 million), walkers (1.7 million), wheelchairs (1.4 million), and back braces (1.2 million). Just as disability increases with age, so do the number of assistive technology devices, rising from 1.0 million for those 24 years and under to 4.1 million for people 75 and over.
Use of canes, hearing aids, and walkers rises sharply with age.
Graphic: Line chart.
Source: LaPlante, et al., 1992
Survey: NHIS, 1990