Prevalence of Disabilities and Health Care Access by Disability Status and Type Among Adults — United States, 2016

Abstract

Persons with disabilities face greater barriers to health care than do those without disabilities (1). To identify characteristics of noninstitutionalized adults with six specific disability types (hearing, vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living),* and to assess disability-specific disparities in health care access, CDC analyzed 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. The prevalences of disability overall and by disability type, and access to health care by disability type, were estimated. Analyses were stratified by three age groups: 18–44 years (young adults), 45–64 years (middle-aged adults), and ≥65 years (older adults). Among young adults, cognitive disability (10.6%) was the most prevalent type. Mobility disability was most prevalent among middle-aged (18.1%) and older adults (26.9%). Generally, disability prevalences were higher among women, American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), adults with income below the federal poverty level (FPL), and persons in the South U.S. Census region. Disability-specific disparities in health care access were prevalent, particularly among young and middle-aged adults. These data might inform public health programs of the sociodemographic characteristics and disparities in health care access associated with age and specific disability types and guide efforts to improve access to care for persons with disabilities.

Prevalence of disability among adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2016–2017

“…Moreover, understanding the temporality between the various disabilities and the progression of severe COPD would be of particular importance as both the prevalence of COPD and disabilities are rising. [12,18] The available evidence has shown that the most common chronic conditions causing disabilities among adults are rheumatoid arthritis, spine problems, and cardiovascular disease. [20] However, these conditions increase in prevalence as the population ages, and do not fully explain the highest rates seen in the middle age group in the current study.…”

“…About one in four adults has a disability, including hearing, vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living. [12] Overall, mobility was the most prevalent disability type at 13.7%, followed by cognition, 10.8%, and independent living, 6.8%, hearing, 5.9%, vision, 4.6%, and finally self-care, 3.7%. [12] Income, region of residence, quality of accessible health services, and social determinants are all affecting the prevalence of these disabilities.…”

“…[12] Overall, mobility was the most prevalent disability type at 13.7%, followed by cognition, 10.8%, and independent living, 6.8%, hearing, 5.9%, vision, 4.6%, and finally self-care, 3.7%. [12] Income, region of residence, quality of accessible health services, and social determinants are all affecting the prevalence of these disabilities. [12,13] Although functional disabilities are not seen as typical comorbidities associated with COPD, there is limited information on age-specific patterns of disabilities among individuals with COPD.…”

“…[12] Income, region of residence, quality of accessible health services, and social determinants are all affecting the prevalence of these disabilities. [12,13] Although functional disabilities are not seen as typical comorbidities associated with COPD, there is limited information on age-specific patterns of disabilities among individuals with COPD. Epidemiological evidence has demonstrated that COPD is associated with impairments in hearing, vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and the ability to live independently; [14] however there is limited information on the age-specific burden of disabilities among individuals with COPD.…”

Disability at the intersections

“…Age is intimately interwoven with disability (Barnartt, 2017;Zola, 1991). Old age is marked by an uptick in disability (Sommo & Chaskes, 2013), with 17% of those aged 18-44 years in 2016 reporting any disability versus 29% of those aged 45-64 years (Okoro, Hollis, Cyrus, & Griffin-Blake, 2018). With our cultural preferences for youth, non-dependence, and the idealized worker, the discrimination experienced by older people with disabilities is acute (Sheets, 2005).…”