More than 50 million Americans report some level of disability

            About 18% of Americans in 2002 said they had a disability, and 12% had a severe disability, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau. Among people with disabilities, more than half of those 21-64 years old had a job, more than four in 10 of those ages 15-64 used a computer at home, and a 25% those age 25-64 had a college degree.

            “The demographic snapshots contained in this report help planners and decision-makers assess the needs of this important segment of our population,” said Louis Kincannon, Census Bureau director. Americans with Disabilities: 2002 was compiled from the Survey of Income and Program Participation.

            Approximately 51.2 million people said they had a disability; for 32.5 million of them, the disability was severe. About 56% of people ages 21-64 who had a disability were employed at some point in the year prior to the interview. People with a severe disability reported the lowest employment rate (42%). This compared with the employment rates of people with a non-severe disability (82%) and those with no reported disability (88%).

            Similarly, 32% of people ages 25-64 with a non-severe disability and 22% with a severe disability were college graduates. The corresponding rate for those without a disability was 43%.

            Among other findings, people with a severe disability had an increased likelihood of having Medicare or Medicaid coverage, living below the poverty level, reporting their health status to be “fair or poor,” receiving public assistance, and having a household income below $20,000. For instance, the poverty rate for people 25-64 with no disability was 8% versus 11% for those with a non-severe disability and 26% for people with a severe disability.

            The report defines a person as having a disability if they have difficulty performing a specific activity such as seeing, hearing, bathing, doing light housework, or had a specified condition, such as Alzheimer’s disease or Autism. People are considered to have a severe disability if they’re completely unable to perform one or more of these tasks or activities, need personal assistance, or have one of the severe conditions described in the report.

            Other highlights included:

·         Four million children six-14, or 11%, had a disability. The chances of a disability rise with age: 72% of people 80 and older had disabilities.

·         Approximately 11 million people six and older, or 4%, needed assistance with an everyday activity.

·         Among those 15 and older, 2.7 million used a wheelchair and 9.1 million an ambulatory aid such as a cane, crutches or a walker.

·         About 7.9 million people 15 and older had difficulty seeing the words in ordinary newspaper print, including 1.8 million who were unable to see.

·         There were 7.8 million people 15 and older who had difficulty hearing a normal conversation, including 1 million unable to hear.

·         About 14.3 million people 15 and older had limitations in cognitive function or a mental or emotional illness that interfered with daily activities, such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, or mental retardation. This group was 6% of the population.

·         Among adults 16-64, 11.8 million, or 6%, reported a condition that makes it difficult to remain employed or find a job.

·         Median earnings for non-disabled people were $25,000, $22,000 for people with a non-severe disability, $12,800 for the severely disabled.

·         Of those 15-64, 36% with a severe disability used a computer and 29% used the Internet at home.

            These data were collected June through September 2002 in the Survey of Income and Program Participation. As in all surveys, these data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.