Almost 30% of Moldovan citizens reported experiencing vision difficulties, even while wearing glasses or contact lenses, according to the Population and Housing Census. Among them, 6% face severe vision impairments or total blindness, IPN reports.

Among individuals aged 65 and over, 16.6% reported severe vision difficulties, while 0.9% declared a complete inability to see.

Additionally, 10.9% of the surveyed population stated they have hearing difficulties, even when using hearing aids. 2.2% reported severe hearing impairments or total deafness. Among those 65 and older, 8.2% experienced significant hearing loss, while 0.4% were completely unable to hear.

For both severe vision and hearing impairments, the percentage of women affected is higher than that of men.

19.4% of the population reported mobility difficulties, including problems walking or climbing stairs. Among those 65 and older, 23.3% faced severe mobility challenges, and 3.7% were completely unable to walk or climb stairs.

10.1% of respondents reported memory or concentration difficulties. The percentage of women experiencing severe memory problems or total memory loss is nearly identical to that of men—1.8% and 1.9%, respectively.

The census was conducted between April 8 and July 7, 2024, surveying 2.4 million citizens. The National Bureau of Statistics (BNS) released the first preliminary results this week.