Disabilities make it harder to take part in normal daily activities. They may limit what you can do physically or mentally, or they can affect your senses. Disability doesn't mean unable, and it isn’t a sickness. Most people with disabilities can - and do - work, play, learn, and enjoy full healthy lives. Mobility aids and assistive devices can make all the difference.
About one in every five people in the United States has a disability. Some people are born with a disability. Some get sick or have an accident that results in a disability. Some people develop disabilities as they age. Almost all of us will have a disability at some point.
Surgeon General
- Disability and Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dh/default.htm
- People with Disabilities Can Lead Long, Healthy Lives(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Disabilities/
- Severe and/or Multiple Disabilities(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs10txt.htm
- Minorities with Disabilities Report Poorer Health(10/02/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69992.html
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JAMA Patient Page: Assessing Disability(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/298/17/2096.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/298/17/2096/DC1/1
- Nutrition for Persons with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities(National Center on Physical Activity and Disability) - http://www.ncpad.org/nutrition/fact_sheet.php?sheet=332&PHPSESSID=7c9f2029efc977e6abab5cf7dc2c3faf
- AgrAbility Project: Frequently Asked Questions(Dept. of Agriculture) - http://www.agrabilityproject.org/faq.cfm
- Bedsores (Pressure Sores)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bedsores/DS00570/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Communicating with and about People with Disabilities(Office of Disability Employment Policy) - http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/comucate.htm
- Disabilities and Conditions(National Center on Physical Activity and Disability) - http://www.ncpad.org/disability/
- Disability Doesn't Mean Vulnerability(Amputee Coalition of America) - http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/apr_may_97/def.html
- Finding a Job that Is Right for You: A Practical Approach to Looking for a Job as a Person with Disability(Office of Disability Employment Policy) - http://www.jan.wvu.edu/job/
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Fire Safety for People with Disabilities and Their Caregivers(United States Fire Administration) - http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/disability/fswy22.shtm
Also available in Spanish http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/espanol/fswy22-sp.pdf
- Grooming, Bathing and Safety Tips(Amputee Coalition of America) - http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_05/grooming.html
- High-Intensity Weight Training for People with Disabilities(National Center on Physical Activity and Disability) - http://www.ncpad.org/exercise/fact_sheet.php?sheet=29
- Modifying Your Home for Independence(American Occupational Therapy Association) - http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Tips/Adults/HomeMods/35182.aspx
- Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs(American Red Cross) - http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_603_,00.html
- Sexual Assault against Persons Living with Disabilities(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www2a.cdc.gov/phtn/svprev/Disability.pdf
- Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions(Transportation Security Administration) - http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm
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Benefits for Children with Disabilities(Social Security Administration) - http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10026.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.ssa.gov/espanol/10926.html
- Benefits for People with Disabilities(Social Security Administration) - http://www.ssa.gov/disability/
- Food Stamp Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled(Food and Nutrition Service) - http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Elderly_Disabled.htm
- Living and Working with Disabilities: Tax Benefits and Credits(Internal Revenue Service) - Links to PDF - http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p3966.pdf
- Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities(Social Security Administration) - http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/buyin.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Disabled Persons
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Disabled+Persons%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Adaptive short forms for outpatient rehabilitation outcome assessment. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806511&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Subjective Quality-of-Life Predictors for Older Adults with Physical Disabilities. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806510&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Visual function and quality of life among visually impaired and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18780257&tool=MedlinePlus
- Disabilities -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=disabled+persons[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Disability evaluation -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=disability+evaluation[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+systematic[sb])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Kids' Quest on Disability and Health: Glossary(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kglopage.htm
- Directory of Athletes with Disabilities Organizations(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) - http://www.aapmr.org/condtreat/athletes.htm
- People with Disabilities (Housing)(Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) - http://www.hud.gov/groups/disabilities.cfm
- State Resources (Disability-Related)(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/states.htm
- Summer Camps for Children with Disabilities: 2008(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/camps.htm
- National Center on Physical Activity and Disability - http://www.ncpad.org/
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National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities - http://www.nichcy.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichcy.org/spanish.htm
- Office of Disability Employment Policy - http://www.dol.gov/odep/
- Accommodation Information by Disability(Office of Disability Employment Policy) - http://www.jan.wvu.edu/media/atoz.htm
- Americans with Disabilities Act - ADA Home Page(Dept. of Justice) - http://ada.gov/
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Disabilities That Qualify Infants, Toddlers, Children, and Youth for Services under the IDEA(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/gr3.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/spanish/gr3stxt.htm
- Guide to Disability Rights Laws(Dept. of Justice) - http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
- Ticket to Work - Work Incentives Improvement Act (TWWIA)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/TWWIIA/
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Working While Disabled - How We Can Help(Social Security Administration) - http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10095.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.ssa.gov/espanol/10995.html
- Disability and Health State Chartbook -- 2006(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dh/chartbook/
- Disability Characteristics(Bureau of the Census) - http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/STTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-qr_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_S1801&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false
- FASTATS: Disabilities/Limitations(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/disable.htm
- Benefits and Barriers to Fitness for Children with Disabilities(National Center on Physical Activity and Disability) - http://www.ncpad.org/yourwrites/fact_sheet.php?sheet=205&view=all
- Difficulty Using the Bathroom, Dressing or Eating Quest(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kpalpage.htm
- Finding a Camp for Your Child with Special Needs(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/finding_camp_special_needs.html
- Illness and Disability for Girls(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://www.girlshealth.gov/disability/
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/learning/iep.html
- Kids' Quest on Disability and Health(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/
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Parent to Parent Support(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/basicpar/bp2txt.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/spanish/bp2stxt.htm
- Parent Training and Information Centers(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/basicpar/bp3txt.htm
- Risk and Prevention of Maltreatment of Children with Disabilities(Children's Bureau) - http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/prevenres/focus/
- Illnesses and Disabilities(National Women's Health Information Center) - http://womenshealth.gov/wwd/
- Amputees - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/amputees.html
- Assistive Devices - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/assistivedevices.html
- Developmental Disabilities - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/developmentaldisabilities.html
- Learning Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/learningdisorders.html
- Mobility Aids - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mobilityaids.html
- Social/Family Issues - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/socialfamilyissues.html