A total of 398 participants completed the BDIS between November 1 and December 15, 2022. Participants were eligible for the survey if they were at least 18 years old, lived in the United States, and self-identified as a person who is blind, has low vision, and/or is deafblind. The 398 participants resided in 49 U.S. states, with the three most represented states being California (n=41), New York (n=22), and Texas (n=21). Working-age adults were fairly evenly represented, with the exception of young adults, ages 18-25, who were under half as likely to respond as other age brackets. Adults over 75 also responded at lower rates. Women and men were both well represented, and 1.3% of respondents identified as non-binary, agender, or genderfluid. About 77% of the participants identified as White. About 65% reported having a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree. Most participants (346) had high-speed internet access at home. Table 1 shows a breakdown of the respondents by age, gender, vision level, race/ethnicity, additional disabilities, education level, and internet access.
Table 1: Participant Demographics (Overall number of participants = 398)
| Age | |
|---|---|
| 18 - 25 years | 27 (6.8%) |
| 26 - 35 years | 77 (19.3%) |
| 36 - 45 years | 67 (16.8%) |
| 46 - 55 years | 68 (17.1%) |
| 56 - 65 years | 65 (16.3%) |
| 66 - 75 years | 77 (19.3%) |
| 76 - 85 | 10 (2.5%) |
| Over 85 years | 77 (19.3%) |
| Prefer not to answer | 3 (0.8%) |
| Gender | |
| Female (incl. trans women) | 243 (61.1%) |
| Male (incl. trans men) | 136 (34.2%) |
| Prefer not to answer | 14 (3.5%) |
| Other Gender Identity | 5 (1.3%) |
| Vision Level | |
| Blind | 266 (66.8%) |
| Low Vision | 97 (24.4%) |
| DeafBlind | 35 (8.8%) |
| Race/Ethnicity | |
| White | 306 (76.9%) |
| Multiracial | 32 (8%) |
| Asian/Asian American | 26 (6.5%) |
| Black/African American | 26 (6.5%) |
| Hispanic/Latino/a | 22 (5.5%) |
| Prefer not to answer | 17 (4.3%) |
| Native American | 15 (3.8%) |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 4 (1%) |
| Additional Disabilities | |
| d/Deaf/Hard of hearing | 37 (9.3%) |
| Limited use of my arms, hands or fingers | 22 (5.5%) |
| Neurological disorder | 18 (4.5%) |
| Learning or cognitive disability | 15 (3.8%) |
| Prefer not to answer | 4 (1%) |
| Educational Level | |
| Some high school | 9 (2.3%) |
| High school graduate | 29 (7.3%) |
| Some college | 59 (14.8%) |
| Associate degree | 33 (8.3%) |
| Bachelor’s degree | 114 (28.6%) |
| Postgraduate degree | 147 (36.9%) |
| Prefer not to answer | 7 (1.8%) |
| Internet Access | |
| I have broadband (high-speed) Internet access at home. | 346 (86.9%) |
| I access the internet at home using mobile data on a tablet or smartphone. | 26 (6.5%) |
| I access the internet outside my home at a place such as my workplace or the library. | 17 (4.3%) |
| I prefer not to provide this information. | 9 (2.3%) |
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