Disability Statistics
Statistical data of the disabled population across different countries of the world is based on different factors, such as data collection techniques, disability definitions, answers to the survey questions by respondents, etc.
In some countries, the survey questions used for collecting data about the disabled population includes people with Age-related disabilities. While in some countries disability statistics are also measured on the basis of the degree of an individual's impairment i.e. severe disability and nonsevere disability.
In this document, disability statistics are provided for different countries, such as India, USA, UK, Australia. In addition, overall disability statistics of the world have also been included.
World
Following are some of the statistics related to people with disabilities in the world:
- As per World Health Organization (WHO), there are 600 million people with disabilities in the world.
- As per WHO, 10 per cent of the world's population is disabled.
- As per United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries.
- As per World Bank estimates, 20 per cent of the world's poorest people are disabled.
Source: United Nations website (External Website)
(http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/facts.shtml)
India
Following are some of the statistics related to people with disabilities in India:
- As per 2001 census, 21.9 million or 21,906,769 people are disabled in India.
- As per 2001 census, out of the 21,906,769 people with disabilities, 12,605,635 are males and 9,301,134 are females.
Source: Census of India website (External Website)
(http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/
Census_data_finder/C_Series/disabled_population.htm)
Britain
Following are some of the statistics related to people with disabilities in Britain:
- As per the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) in 2003-2004, there were 10 million people with disabilities in Britain.
- As per the DRC, in 2003-2004 out of the 10 million people with disabilities, 4.6 million were over State pension age and 700,000 were children.
- As per the DRC in 2003-2004, 10 per cent of the adults between the age group of 16 – 24 were disabled.
- As per the DRC in 2003-2004, one third of people between the age of 50 and retirement age were disabled.
Source: DRC website (External Website)
(http://www.drc-gb.org/Newsroom/Key_DRC_facts_and_glossary/
Number_of_disabled_people_in.aspx)
Australia
Following are some of the statistics related to people with disabilities in Australia:
- As per the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), in 2003, there were 3.9 million (3958300) people with disabilities in Australia.
- As per ABS, in 2003, there were 3.35 million people with Age-related disabilities.
- As per ABS, in 2003, people with disabilities contribute to 20 per cent of the population whereas people with Age-related disabilities contribute to 17 per cent of the population.
- As per ABS, in 2003, out of the 3.35 million people with Age-related disabilities, 51 per cent had a disability whereas 19 per cent had a profound or severe core-activity limitation.
Source: ABS website (External Website)
(http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/
4430.0Main+Features12003?OpenDocument)
United States
Following are some of the statistics related to people with disabilities in the United States:
- As per the Survey of Income and Participation Program (SIPP), in 2002 ,51.2 million or 18.1 per cent of the population had some level of disability.
- As per SIPP, in 2002, the poverty rate amongst people with nonsevere disabilities between the age group 25 – 64 was 11.2 per cent whereas for people with severe disabilities was 25.9 per cent. On the other hand, poverty rate for people without disabilities was 7.7 per cent.
- As per SIPP, in 2002, an estimated 7.8 million people between the age group 15 and above had difficulty in hearing a normal conversation.
- As per SIPP, in 2002, an estimated 7.9 million people between the age group 15 and above had difficulty in seeing letters printed on a news paper.
- As per SIPP, in 2002, 2.7 million people between the age group 15 and above were using a wheel chair and 9.1 million people between the age group 15 and above were using aids, such as cane, crutches or walker.
Source: United States Census Bureau website (External Website)
(http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/sipp/disab02/awd02.html)
On an average around 10 per cent of the world population is disabled and this number is likely to increase due to different factors, such as increasing population, advancement in the field of medicine and rising number of the aging population. (source: WHO)
