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Disability
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Overview
During the past 30 years, the accepted definitions of disability have been
changing.
- In the 1970s, the concept of a disability referred to an underlying physical
or mental condition. A person with leg paralysis would have been considered
disabled based solely on their physical condition.
- Today, disability is seen as a complex interaction between a person and his or her
environment. The same person with leg paralysis may be considered disabled
due to their physical impairment as well as the barriers in the environment
that prevent full social participation.
The development of the international classification of functioning, disability,
and health (ICF) by the World Health Organization reflects this new perspective.
The ICF is meant to codify a classification of functioning, disability, and health
"to provide a unified standard language and framework for the description
of health and health-related state.” The ICF views disability as an umbrella
term and does not provide a single way to determine disability status. Thus, it
is important to state clearly what aspect of the disablement process is being
captured by a specific set of questions.
As public perception of disability has changed over time, so have the goals
of programs supporting people with disabilities.
- In the past, the emphasis was to provide support to people with disabilities
primarily through benefits.
- Today the emphasis has shifted to supporting independence and promoting
involvement in all aspects of society.
As the conceptualization of disability and as service programs for people with
disabilities have changed, the Census Bureau and other statistical bodies have
attempted to capture the concept of disability for the purpose of measurement.
The existing definitions present challenges in two areas.
- The process of measuring a complex, multi-dimensional concept in a survey
format is difficult.
- The constantly evolving concept of disability requires survey professionals
to continuously develop new measurement approaches to adapt to the newest definitions
of disability.
Since the definition of a disability varies, the collection of disability statistics
depends on the purpose for which it is being used and the survey collecting
the information. While the Census Bureau collects disability data from four household
surveys, other agencies also collect disability data. Depending on your needs,
one survey may be more suitable than another.
US CENSUS BUREAU - HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS
Contact the Demographic Call Center Staff at 301-763-2422 or 1-866-758-1060 (toll free) or visit
ask.census.gov for further information on Disability Data.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Last Revised: December 15, 2004
