Incidence and Prevalence

Multiple sources have been cited in the table below that provide percentages of disability incidence worldwide.

Employment Rate and Opportunities

Personal circumstances vary greatly, but statistically speaking, people with disabilities as a group tend to be disproportionately represented among those who are unemployed or under-employed, even after taking their disability into account. In a minority of cases, the disability itself and/or related health issues severely limit the individual's ability to work, or prevent it entirely. In most cases, though, people with disabilities are willing and able to perform in the job market when given the chance. Workplace discrimination and inaccessible work environments often reduce the employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Sources:

1. Website: Annual Disability Statistics Compendium; Domain: https://disabilitycompendium.org/ (original link no longer available)
2. http://www.rollingrains.com/readings/2010/03/the-number-of-people-with-disabilities-worldwide.html
3. Website: Planneta Educação; Domain: http://www.plannetaeducacao.com.br/ (original link no longer available)
4. Website: United Nations; Domain: http://www.un.org/ (original link no longer available)

Educational Attainment

Poverty and Disability

Disabilities can be expensive, not only for the person with a disability, but also for family members and care-givers. An electric wheelchair, for example, can cost anywhere from under US $2000 to US $30,000 or more, depending on the features required. The wheelchair must also be maintained and repaired. Beyond the equipment cost, a person who needs an electric wheelchair likely also needs the daily assistance of other people, both at home and in the workplace. The cost of simply living and doing daily tasks can be significantly higher for a person with a disability when compared to the costs for someone without a disability.

The yearly cost of the support systems (assistive technologies plus human helpers) varies dramatically depending on the type of disability, and can range from almost no cost on the low end to staggeringly high costs on the other extreme. These are the non-negotiable costs of life. Sadly, many people with disabilities who need these support systems cannot afford them, so their disability is compounded by financial constraints that prevent them from receiving technologies and services that could dramatically improve their quality of life.

The result is that a large proportion of people with disabilities, and their families, live in or near poverty [NEED CITATION HERE]. This is especially true in poorer countries, where people with disabilities are often among the poorest of the poor, and the most vulnerable of populations [NEED CITATION HERE].

References

• http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html

Aging Populations

Those of us who are lucky enough to live to an old age will probably acquire a disability, or perhaps several disabilities. Many of us lose our sight, our hearing, our mobility, and our cognition as we age. In a sense, you could say that disabilities are a natural and expected part of life, and those who do not experience disabilities as they age are actually in the minority.

In countries with life expectancies over 70 years, individuals spend on average about 8 years, or 11.5 per cent of their life span, living with disabilities.

Source: Website: United Nations; Domain: http://www.un.org/ (original link no longer available)

Source: Website: University at Buffalo - Department of Rehabilitation Science; Domain: https://publichealth.buffalo.edu/ (original link no longer available)

References: The World Health Organization (2003; 2006)

• WHO 2003. What are the main risk factors for disability in old age and how can disability be prevented? Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/document/E82970.pdf
• WHO 2006. Disability and Rehabilitation WHO Action Plan 2006-2011.

Source: Website: New Zealand Government; Domain: https://www.govt.nz (original link no longer available)

Disability in the United Kingdom 2013: "Only 17% of disabled people were born with their disabilities. The majority of disabled people acquire their disability later in life."

Source: http://www.papworthtrust.org.uk (original link no longer available)

References: Website: Institute for Public Policy Research; Domain: https://www.ippr.org/ (original link no longer available); Article: Work for Disabled People

Source: Website: United States Census Bureau. Domain: https://www.census.gov/ (original link no longer available)

Notes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year estimates, 2008−2012.

Source: Website: United States Census Bureau. Domain: https://www.census.gov/ (original link no longer available)

Notes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-year estimates, 2008–2012.

In the U.S. Census Bureau 2014 report, Americans aged 85 and older represented 13.6 percent of the total older population (ages 65 and up) and accounted for 25.4 percent of those with a disability.

Source: Website: United States Census Bureau. Domain: https://www.census.gov/ (original link no longer available)

Reference: He, Wan and Luke J. Larsen, U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Reports, ACS-29, Older Americans With a Disability: 2008 – 2012, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 2014.

Source: Website: Administration for Community Living; Domain: https://www.acl.gov/ (original link no longer available)

Notes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey.