- Education and Training
- Advocacy and Policy
- Disability Statistics
Disability Statistics
Did you know?
Nationwide, 25.6% of persons with a disability reported being physically inactive during a usual week compared with 12.8% of those without a disability. (MMWR, 2007)
More than 1 in 5 Americans, approximately 54 million, have a disability, making people with disabilities the largest traditionally underrepresented group in the nation. (Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000; The National Organization on Disability/Harris Interactive - Survey of Americans with Disabilities, 2004)
The world of disability statistics can be quite daunting if not down right confusing! Nonetheless, statistics can be a powerful tool to inspire legislators, public officials and your community to maintain and create new programs and policies. Data can be used to identify needs and monitor trends. Below you will find a list of key sources of disability statistics and some basic information on each. The type of disability information you need will determine which survey to access (e.g. employment, health behaviors, number/percentage by county, etc).
I. General Disability and Health-related Statistics
US Census (Decennial Census and Supplementary Surveys)
This is probably the most widely used data source. Census is conducted every ten years; 2000 is the most recent census. The next Census is in 2010. US Census provides information about population size (by nation, state, county, city, congressional district and even school district), employment status, disability status, income, age, gender, etc Link: http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html
Once on the US Census site you can click on any of the following to find information:
1) American Fact Finder http://factfinder.census.gov/
2) Data Highlights – has specific tables compiled by state
3) Enter a street address to get Census 2000 data
4) State and County Quick Facts – for data on people, business types and geography
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities with information on how they are changing from year to year. Using the US Census survey, ACS collects information on age, race, income, disability status, commute time to work, home value, veteran status, and other important data from U.S. households. The ACS is administered every year to approximately three million households across every county in the US.
Information about the American Community Survey http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
Quick access to American Community Survey 2008 data:
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
Sponsored by US Census Bureau, SIPP is a longitudinal study that is conducted periodically. The purpose of SIPP is to collect information on the source and amount of income, labor force participation, program participation and eligibility data, and general demographic characteristics of individuals and households in the U.S.
http://www.bls.census.gov/sipp/
Link to disability data from SIPP: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/dissipp.html
Current Population Survey
The Current Population Survey (CPS) is a monthly survey of approximately 50,000 households conducted by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The survey has been conducted for more than 50 years. Its purpose is to provide information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population (employment estimate, unemployment, earnings, hours of work and other indicators).
Of interest to the disability community: Every March, a supplement called the Annual Demographic Supplement is added to collect data on work limitations, work experience, income, non-cash benefits, and migration, as well as basic monthly demographic and labor force data.
National Office on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities
These surveys measure the participation of Americans with disabilities, compared with other Americans, in ten key life areas, and provide a wealth of information on access, technology, and attitudes towards disability nationwide. Data for 1998, 2000 and 2004 are available.
http://www.nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=1565
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
This source does collect any original data but rather presents it in a use-friendly format. Using a variety of data sources including US Census data and CDC, Chartbooks were created on women and disability, work and disability, and disability in the US.
http://www.infouse.com/disabilitydata/home/index.php
National Health Interview Survey
The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).The NHIS is designed to monitor the health of the United States population (adults and children) through a survey of a broad range of health topics. Data are collected through in-person household interview. The questionnaire includes three components: the Family Core, the Sample Adult Core, and the Sample Child Core. Questions for each component include health conditions, activity limitations, injuries, health insurance, income, socio-demographics, etc. State-level estimates of NHIS are not available due to small sample size.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm
Link to National Health Interview Survey on Disability conducted in 1994/95
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the world’s largest, on-going telephone health survey system, tracking health conditions and risk behaviors of adults in the United States yearly since 1984. Conducted by the 50 state health departments and DC. BRFSS provides state-specific information about issues such as asthma, diabetes, health care access, alcohol use, hypertension, obesity, cancer screening, nutrition and physical activity, activity limitations, tobacco use, and more.
http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm
National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs
The National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CHHSCN) provides information about CSHCN in all 50 States and the District of Columbia. In each state, telephone interviewers screened at least 3,000 households with children to identify CSHCN. Information collected includes child health and functional status, access to care, and transition among others. 2001 and 2005/6 data are available.
http://childhealthdata.org/content/Default.aspx
Related Link: Obesity and Children with Special Health Care Needs
II. Disability and Physical Activity Data and Research
Key National Reference Documents on Disability and Health
Health People 2010
Healthy People 2010 provides a framework for prevention for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats.
Healthy People 2010, Section 6: Disability and Secondary Conditions
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities, 2005
Disability and Health in the United States, 2001-2005
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/
Promoting Inclusive Physical Activity Communities for People with Disabilities President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport Research Digest June/July 2008
People with disabilities face substantial health risks associated with a physically inactive lifestyle. Unfortunately, even when individuals with disabilities want to increase their physical activity levels, they are often confronted with many more barriers than the general population. The participation of younger and older individuals with disabilities in physical activity must become one of the highest priorities for public and private organizations responsible for improving the health of every citizen in this nation. Read full report at http://www.fitness.gov/publications/digests/digest-junejuly2008-508version.pdf.
Childhood Overweight: What the Research Tells Us
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) has developed Childhood Overweight: What the Research Tells Us, a free publication that summarizes key findings from the best studies on the background and health consequences of childhood overweight and has information regarding physical activity in schools and nutrition in schools. Childhood Overweight: What the Research Tells Us Fact Sheet
Importance of Play for Healthy Child Development – American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement, 2007
Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. This report offers guidelines on how pediatricians can advocate for children by helping families, school systems, and communities consider how best to ensure that play is protected as they seek the balance in children’s lives to create the optimal developmental milieu.
Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development
CDC Report: Physical Activity Among Adults with Physical Disability
Physical inactivity is particularly prevalent among adults with a disability, who are at increased risk for functional limitations and secondary health conditions (e.g., obesity, depression, or social isolation that can result from their disabilities, behavior, lifestyle, or environment.
Key Findings:
• Nationwide in 2005, an estimated 19.6% of adults had a disability.
• Nationwide, 25.6% of persons with a disability reported being physically inactive during a usual week compared with 12.8% of those without a disability.
National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) Data and Reports - US Department of Education
NLTS2 is a 10-year study of the experiences of young people who were 13 to 16 years old and receiving special education in the 2000-2001 school year. The sample of approximately 12,000 youth is nationally representative of youth with disabilities in that age group as a whole and those in each federal special education disability category. Extracurricular Activity: The majority of both youth with disabilities and youth in the general population groups are active in organized extracurricular activities during their middle and high school years. More than three-fourths of youth with disabilities participate in extracurricular activities and programs through which they can explore interests, learn skills, develop friendships, and participate actively as members of their schools and communities. However, rates of participation are significantly lower than those of youth in the general population, primarily because of lower rates of participation of youth with disabilities in lessons and volunteer activities. However, participation in school- or community-sponsored group activities is somewhat more common among youth with disabilities than among youth in the general population. Youth with disabilities who participate in activities tend to be youth who also have more frequent interactions with individual friends. http://www.nlts2.org/reports/2006_08/index.html
Recent CDC Study Finds Racial/Ethnic Health Disparities in People with Disabilities
This study found that among adults with a disability, Black, Hispanic and Native Americans report fair or poor health at disproportionately higher rates compared with White and Asian Americans. Thus, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities must incorporate the needs of adults with disabilities. Overall, adults with a disability were less likely to self-report excellent or very good health (27.3% vs. 60.3%), and more likely to report being in fair or poor health (40.1% vs. 9.8%), when compared with their counterparts without disability. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5739a1.htm
Mounting Evidence Suggests Link Between Physical Education, Educational Achievement - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
A growing body of evidence supports a connection between physical activity and academic achievement, Education Week reports. A study published last year in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology suggests that children who performed well on two measures of physical fitness tended to score higher on state reading and math exams, regardless of gender or socioeconomic status. A study in the December 2007 Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, meanwhile, followed 163 Augusta, Ga., schoolchildren and found that those who exercised for 40 minutes daily demonstrated the greatest improvements in cognitive function, with gains roughly twice as large as children who exercised for only 20 minutes daily. http://www.rwjf.org/programareas/features/digest.jsp?c=EMC-ND138&pid=1138&id=7292
Physiological Benefits of Physical Activity for Children with Cerebral Palsy
An article in PELinks4U describe these benefits.Results from the 2006 School Health Profiles
The CDC released of School Health Profiles: Surveillance for Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools (Profiles 2006). This report provides state and local school level data from the 2006 School Health Profiles on school health education; physical education; health services; nutrition-related policies and practices; school health policies related to HIV/AIDS prevention, tobacco-use prevention, violence prevention, and physical activity; and family and community involvement in school health programs. The report is available electronically at the link provided above.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/profiles/index.htm
III. Recent Disability Prevalence Data
Paralysis Population Survey Shows Over a Million More Paralyzed Than Previously Estimated; Five Times More People Live With Spinal Cord Injury - Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and CDC Study
A survey of over 33,000 households released today shows that 40 percent more Americans live with paralysis and over five times the number of Americans live with spinal cord injury than previously estimated. Specifically, the survey shows that 1.275 million have had a spinal cord injury and over 5.6 million Americans live with some form of paralysis. The highest previous estimates were 250,000 and roughly four million, respectively. Read full report.
Prevalence and Most Common Causes of Disability Among Adults CDC MMWR Report, May 1, 2009
Since 1994, disability-related costs for medical care and lost productivity have exceeded an estimated $300 billion annually in the United States. To update previous reports on the prevalence and most common causes of disability among adults, CDC and the U.S. Census Bureau analyzed the most recent data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP). This report summarizes the findings of that analysis, which indicated that the prevalence of disability in 2005 (21.8%) remained unchanged from 1999 (22.0%); however, because of the aging of the population, particularly the large group born during 1946--1964 ("baby boomers"), the estimated absolute number of persons reporting a disability increased 7.7%, from 44.1 to 47.5 million.
The three most common causes of disability continued to be arthritis or rheumatism (affecting an estimated 8.6 million persons), back or spine problems (7.6 million), and heart trouble (3.0 million). Women (24.4%) had a significantly higher prevalence of disability compared with men (19.1%) at all ages. For both sexes, the prevalence of disability doubled in successive age groups (18--44 years, 11.0%; 45--64 years, 23.9%; and ≥65 years, 51.8%). The number of adults reporting a disability likely will increase, along with the need for appropriate medical and public health services, as more persons enter the highest risk age group (≥65 years). To accommodate the expected increase in demand for disability-related medical and public health services, expanding the reach of effective strategies and interventions aimed at preventing progression to disability and improving disability management in the population is necessary. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5816a2.htm?s_cid=mm5816a2_e
CDC Releases Study on Cerebral Palsy Prevalence
CDC released a new study in the March 2008 issue of Pediatrics which shows the average prevalence of cerebral palsy (CP) as 3.6 per 1,000 children or about 1 in 278 children. This first report of the prevalence and characteristics of CP, the most common cause of motor disability in childhood, are from Georgia, Alabama and Wisconsin. The study, "Prevalence of Cerebral Palsy in 8-year-old Children in Three Areas of the United States in 2002: A Multisite Collaboration," found the prevalence to be remarkably similar across all three sites, ranging from 3.3 in Wisconsin to 3.8 in Georgia. All sites reported the highest prevalence among boys, African-Americans and those living in low- and middle-income neighborhoods. Prevalence rates were lowest among Hispanic children. CDC has developed a feature article about cerebral palsy that we encourage you to share with your partners, colleagues, and friends. View full article at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/CerebralPalsy/
IV. International Disability Statistics
United Nations Statistics Division - Disability Statistics
This site provides a statistical reference and guide to national sources of disability, basic disability prevalence rates, and questions used in each national survey to identify persons with disabilities. The data available on this site are in the United Nations Disability Statistics Database, version 2 (DISTAT-2).
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sconcerns/disability/
World Health Organization - International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health
This site does not include disability data, but provides extensive information on WHO's current system for classifying disability. The system is noteworthy for its recognition of disability as an interactional process between the person and his or her environment.