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CDC: More than 1 in 5 US adults live with a disability

In 2013, more than 53 million U.S. adults reported at least one disability, but discrepancies were seen between states, according to recently published data by the CDC.

“We are all at risk of having a disability at some point in our lifetime,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said in a press release. “Health professionals and health care systems need to meet the needs of this growing population.”

To quantify the percentage of adults living with disabilities in the United States, researchers analyzed data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Results demonstrated that in 2013, 22.2% of adults in the United States reported having at least one disability.

Thirteen percent of participants reported having a disability related to mobility, making it the most common type of disability across the nation. This was followed by disabilities in cognition (10.6%), independent living (6.5%), vision (4.6%) and self-care (3.6%).

Women (24.4%) and adults aged at least 65 years were much more likely to report a disability compared with men (19.8%) and those younger than 65 years. The one exception to this was seen in cognition, where adults aged 45 to 65 years were most likely to report a cognitive disability.

Individuals living in the South were more likely to report having a disability. Alabama had the highest prevalence of disability, with 31.5%, whereas Minnesota had the lowest at 16.4%.

Disabilities were most prevalent among black, non-Hispanic populations vs. other ethnicities.

A strong correlation between disability and household income and education level was seen. Nearly 50% of adults who had a household income of less than $15,000 per year and 40% of individuals without a high school diploma reported having a disability.

The researchers noted that the information provided by this study is vital in helping to develop the most effective interventions and programs to assist those living with disabilities in the United States.

“For the past 25 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has made a positive difference in the lives of those who have disabilities by ensuring better access to buildings, transportations and employment. Access to preventive health care is also critically important for those with disabilities. Many of the health issues that people with disabilities face may be addressed by making sure they have access to health promotion programs and health care services, including preventive health screenings, throughout their lifespan,” Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH, director of CDC’s Division of Human Development and Disability, said in the release.