Updated September 26, 2014.
General Facts
The following facts are based on information obtained from the 2010 US Census: http://www.census.gov/people/disability/ and other data sources linked within the text.
Types of disability
Disability can include more than most people think about. In broad categories, disability can affect a person's movement, vision, hearing, speaking, learning, mental health, and ability to form and keep relationships.
Many people consider disability when they are thinking about topics such as social security and work related injury, but disability is a much larger topic that can influence a person's daily life despite being able to work and carry on "normal" life functions.
The most common causes of disability in the US in 2012:
- Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
- Cancer
- Injuries and poisoning
- Mental disorders
- Cardiovascular and circulatory disorders
Factors that increase risk of disability:
- Obesity
- Tobacco use
- High risk activities/behaviors
- Chronic conditions: diabetes, high blood pressure, back pain, anxiety, depression
- Alcohol consumption and substance abuse
Scope of the problem
According to the Social Security Administration, just over 1 in 4 of today's 20 year olds will become disabled before they retire.
According to the last US Census, approximately 56.7 million people (or 18.7 percent) of the US population had a disability in 2010. Of these people 12.6 percent had a severe disability which was characterized by inability to communicate, see, or hear; use of a wheelchair, cane, crutches, or walker; needing assistance to perform basic activities of daily living; cognitive decline or intellectual disability; or had psychologic symptoms that interfere with everyday activities.
Financial implications
According to the Census, less than half (41.1 percent) of people aged 21 to 64 with a disability were employed for this study. This included the fact that only 27.5 percent of those with severe disability were employed and 71.2 percent of those with nonsevere disabilities. Only 9 percent of people receiving supplemental income (Social Security, Medicare, Supplemental Security Income) reported employment.
Among adults age 16-64, 7.2 percent or 14.4 million had difficulty finding a job or remaining employed secondary to a physical or mental condition. In this population for those with severe disability, over half reported that their disability prevented them from working.
Persons in the disabled population also reported lower incomes than those who were not disabled. The median monthly earning for a person with any kind of disability was $1,961 compared with $2,724 for those without disability. For adults age 15 to 64, 17.9 percent of people with severe disability were in poverty.
Children with disability
Also included in the Census, there were 62.2 million children under the age of 15 in this study. About 5.2 million or 8.4 percent had some kind of disability. These children could have disability ranging from severe developmental delay due to conditions such as cerebral palsy or the inability to walk due to conditions like spina bifida. Also included were children with learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or specific subject area learning disorders. On average, children were much more likely to receive school or governmental services to assist with developmental learning and financial hardships of disability.
Determine your risk
An interesting way to think about how disability may impact you is to calculate your risk or your Personal Disability Quotient (PDQ). This online calculator can help you to determine what your own chance of being injured or becoming ill might be considering your current risk factors. This could be a good way to help you identify lifestyle changes to lower your risk of becoming disabled.