Demographics of people with disabilities: Numerous sources, a range of estimates

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Demographics of people with disabilities
Numerous sources, a range of estimates

• Presented by
• Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D.
• Employment and Disability Institute

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on
Disability Demographics and Statistics
Presented at the National Association for Welfare
Research and Statistics, July 14, 2004
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Issues Addressed in this Presentation

• It is critical for welfare research and
  statistics to address issues relating to
  disability.
• Difficulties in defining disability within survey
  datarange of estimates of the number of people
  with disabilities.
• Characteristics of the population with
  disabilities.

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Poverty Rate, by Work Limitation Status(Ages
25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Receipt of Public Assistance and Welfare (PAW)
Income, by Work Limitation Status (Ages 25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI),by
Work Limitation Status (Ages 25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Full-Time/Full-Year Employment, byWork
Limitation Status (Ages 25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Proportion of Poverty and PAW PopulationsReportin
g a Work Limitation (Ages 25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Challenging Prospects for Future Policy

• Long-standing and continuing poverty gap between
  people with and without work limitations.
• Declining employment prospects for people with
  work limitations with increased dependence on
  SSI.
• Rising share of recipients of public assistance
  and welfare with a work limitation (although it
  is diminishing in absolute numbers).

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Size of the Population with Disabilities

• 54 million is often cited.
• Corresponds to a prevalence rate of 17.9 percent.
• Based on Census Bureau estimates using the 1997
  SIPP and inflate from the original 53 million in
  1997 to reflect population growth.
• Non-institutionalized, Civilians, Ages 15 and
  olderthe 2000 Census reports about 2 million
  people living in disability-related institutions.
• A kitchen sink definition of disability (e.g.,
  one or more ADLs/IADLs use of a wheelchair, a
  cane, crutches, or a walker receipt of federal
  disability benefits)
• Source www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/p70-73.pdf.

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Other Estimates

• National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
• 34 million (or 12 percent of) non-institutionalize
  d civilians of all ages are limited in usual
  activities due to one or more chronic health
  conditions in 2002.
• Source www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/
  sr10_220.pdf
• American Community Survey (ACS)
• 41 million (or 13 percent of) non-institutionalize
  d civilians ages 5 and older have a disability in
  2002
• Source www.census.gov/acs/www
• March Current Population Survey (CPS)
• 22 million (or 10 percent of) non-institutionalize
  d civilians ages 16 to 64 reported a work
  disability in 2002.
• Source www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability.html

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Conceptual Definition of DisabilityNagi
Pathology
Impairment
Functional Limitation
Disability
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Conceptual Definition of DisabilityICF/WHO
Health Condition
Disability
Impairment
Activity Limitation
Participation Restriction
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Reporting of a Work Limiting Health Problem or
Disability among Persons Ages 25-61
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 1981-2003.
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Prevalence of Work Limitation in 2003,by State
(Ages 25-61)
Source Authors calculations using the Current
Population Survey (CPS), 2003.
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Prevalence of Disability among Those in
Poverty,by Type, 2002 ACS (Ages 25-61)
Source Calculations by Robert Weathers using the
2002 American Community Survey.
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Prevalence of Disability among All Persons,by
Type, 2002 ACS (Ages 25-61)
Source Calculations by Robert Weathers using the
2002 American Community Survey.
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Prevalence of Disability among PAW Recipients,by
Type, 2002 ACS (Ages 25-61)
Source Calculations by Robert Weathers using the
2002 American Community Survey.
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Prevalence of Disability among SSI Recipients,by
Type, 2002 ACS (Ages 25-61)
Source Calculations by Robert Weathers using the
2002 American Community Survey.
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Challenging Prospects for Future Research

• There is tremendous heterogeneity in the type of
  disability and their implications for economic
  outcomes and program participation.
• Disability is a complex concept, and difficult to
  operationalize in a survey or program, especially
  the role of the environment.

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Contact Information

Andrew J. Houtenville, Ph.D., Senior Research
Associate Employment and Disability
Institute School of Industrial Labor
Relations Cornell University Rm 331, Ives
Hall Ithaca, New York 14853-3901 USA
Telephone [phone] TTY/TDD (607)
255-2891 Fax [phone] E-mail
ajh29_at_cornell.edu http//www.ilr.cornell.edu/RRT
C/ http//www.disabilitystatistics.org