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Disability
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American Community
Survey (ACS)
- The ACS is designed to replace the Long Form of the Decennial Census by providing annual
estimates of demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics. For more information
see the ACS Background page
of the American Community Survey website.
- In 2000 through 2002, the ACS disability questions on the paper questionnaire were designed to
replicate Census 2000. There are six disability types reflected in these questions:
- Sensory Disability - Conditions that include blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or
hearing impairment.
- Physical Disability - Conditions that substantially limit one or more basic physical
activies such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying
- Mental Disability - Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or
more, the person has difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating.
- Self-care Disability - Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or
more, the person has difficulty dressing, bathing, or getting around inside the home.
- Go-outside-home Disability - Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or
more, the person has difficulty going outside the home alone to shop or visit a doctor's office.
- Employment Disability - Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting 6 months or
more, the person has difficulty working at a job or business.
For more information on the definitions of these disability types see page 31 of
2005 ACS Subject Definitions.
- In 2003, ACS introduced a change to the layout of the disability questions resulting in
a break in the series. The number and percent of people with a disability from the ACS in 2003
and in the future is not comparable to the number and percent in earlier years of the survey.
To learn more about the change to the layout of the disability questions in 2003 and their subsequent
impact on data see the Census working paper Disability Data From the American
Community Survey: A Brief Examination of the Effects of a Question Redesign in 2003. For sample
questionnaires for 2000 through 2005 see the
ACS Questionnaire Page.
- With full implementation in 2005, the ACS is able to provide estimates for nearly 7,000 sub-national
geographies with populations of 65,000 or greater in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico. Eventually, the ACS will be producing estimates for smaller geographic areas using 3- and 5-year
averages. For information on the release of data for certain geographies see the
schedule for Data Dissemination on the ACS Page.
Go to How Disability Data is Collected
Contact the HHES Information area at 301-763-3242 or visit
ask.census.gov for further information on Disability Statistics.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Last Revised: December 10, 2004