Topic Areas
Population and Prevalence
This section presents statistics on U.S. resident population and projected population, as well as disability prevalence. The prevalence statistics describe disability prevalence by age and by disability type. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey.
Employment
This section presents statistics on employment and full-time, year-round employment. For both categories of employment, data are presented concerning those with disabilities, those without disabilities, and the employment gap (difference in employment rate) between these two populations. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey.
Time Trend Population Statistics
This section presents monthly and annual time trends for employment and poverty statistics. There are two sources used in this section. Monthly time trends are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Data Retrieval System and are based on data from the Current Population Survey-Basic Monthly Survey (CPS-BMS). Annual time trends were produced by the authors using data from the Current Population Survey-Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC), which is fielded annually in March.
Poverty
This section presents statistics on poverty. The statistics describe the number and percentage of people with and without disabilities who experience poverty, as well as the gap between the poverty rates of people with and without disabilities. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the ACS.
Earnings
This section presents statistics on earnings. The statistics describe the earnings of individuals with and without disabilities in the past 12 months, as well as the earnings gap between these two populations. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey.
Veterans
This section presents statistics on Veterans. Specifically, the data address service connected disability rating; the prevalence of disabilities in the Veteran population; the portion of the Veteran population that experiences poverty, by disability status; and Veterans’ benefits, by disability status. The principal sources of these data are the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey, and the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Annual Benefits Report.
Health Insurance Coverage
This section presents statistics on health insurance coverage, especially the health insurance coverage of people with disabilities. Specifically, the data address the percentage of people with and without disabilities who have some sort of health insurance coverage. This section also addresses the type of health insurance coverage possessed by people with disabilities. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey.
Health
This section presents statistics on health, especially the health of people with disabilities.
Specifically, the data address the prevalence of disabilities, health behaviors (such as smoking) by disability status, vaccination, and insurance. The principal source of this data is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, produced by the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities—Disability and Health Team.
Social Security Administration Programs
This section presents statistics on Social Security Administration (SSA) Programs. Specifically, these data concern the number of beneficiaries served by, and the amount spent on, Social Security Income (SSI) and Disability Insurance (DI), by disability status. A table also addresses those who have concurrent benefits (are enrolled in both programs), by disability status. The principal source of this data is the Social Security Administration, specifically the 2010 Annual Statistical Supplement.
Medicaid and Medicare
This section presents statistics concerning Medicaid and Medicare, government run health care programs. Specifically, these data concern the number of people with disabilities served under Medicaid and Medicare and the amount spent under each program on people with disabilities. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2010 Medicare and Medicaid Statistical Supplement, produced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Special Education
This section presents statistics on Special Education programs, specifically on children served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B. These data concern the number of children with disabilities served (by age and by type of disability), mainstream education of children with disabilities, dropout and graduation rates, and state grant awards. The principal source of this data is the Office of Special Education Programs’ Data Accountability Center, which produces IDEA 618 Data Tables.
Vocational Rehabilitation
This section presents statistics on Vocational Rehabilitation programs, administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. These data concern the number of individuals with disabilities who apply for services, receive services, and find employment (are successfully rehabilitated). The tables also address the expenditures associated with vocational rehabilitation, as well as whether vocational rehabilitation agencies are on order of selection. The principal source of this data is the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Management Information System.
Federal Government Spending and Employment
This section presents statistics concerning Federal government spending and employment. Specifically, these data address Federal spending on income maintenance; housing and food assistance; health care; education, training, and employment readiness; and other programs, all for people with disabilities. This section also focuses on the number of people with disabilities and people with targeted disabilities employed by the Executive Branch, including specific data on the employment of people with disabilities and people with targeted disabilities within the departments of the Executive Branch. The principal sources of this data are “Federal Expenditures on Working-age People with Disabilities” for Fiscal Year 2008, a document produced by the Center for Studying Disability Policy, a part of Mathematica Policy Research, Inc; and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Civilian Workforce Statistics Factbook—2007 Edition.
International Disability Statistics
This section presents international disability statistics. Specifically, these data address international employment rates for people with disabilities and the percentages of total populations receiving disability benefits. Both of the tables in this section face severe limitations. In both of the tables, it is difficult to compare rates across countries because countries often define disabilities differently and have different employment and benefits structures. Additionally, the data may come from different types of sources (for example: from a survey versus from a census) and represent different years. The principal source of this data is a report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).