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Life's Uncertain

so eat dessert first!

Disability Statistics and Factors

Disability presence

Around 1.3 billion people around the world are estimated to have a disability. This is just above 16% of the global population.

In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 4 people, roughly 28%, have some form of disability.

There are many factors that go into these estimates, which makes it hard to know which estimate is closer to correct.

Additional note: Do not treat disability as a rare edge case. Even conservative estimates describe a very large audience.

Disabilities by age

Nearly 40% of adults age 65 and older live with a disability.

As age increases, the chances of mobility, cognitive, auditory, and visual disabilities increase.

Additional note: Accessibility is connected to aging. A product that works better for disabled users often works better for older users and people with temporary limitations.

Disabilities by category

In the United States, some disabilities are more prominent than others.

Mobility and cognitive disabilities are among the most common.

Even though the percentages are low, these are still large audience sizes.

The chart in this lesson lists these percentages for adults living with functional disability types:

Functional disability type Percent
Mobility 13.7%
Cognitive 6.8%
Vision 5.9%
Hearing 4.6%

Disabilities on a spectrum

Blindness is used as an example of disability existing on a spectrum.

The image example names three people and three different vision-related conditions:

Person Condition named in the image
James Genetic retinal dystrophy
Scott Macular degeneration
Mike Cone-rod dystrophy

Additional note: The point is that disability labels do not always describe the same experience for every person. Two people may both be called blind or low vision and still need different supports.

Disabilities impacting other areas of life

People with disabilities are more likely to:

  • Have obesity, listed as 12% more likely
  • Smoke, listed as 15% more likely
  • Have heart disease, listed as 8% more likely
  • Have diabetes, listed as 8% more likely

It is also estimated that 1 in 4 adults with disabilities do not have a usual healthcare provider and have an unmet health-related need.

Visible and invisible disabilities

Not all disabilities can be seen just by looking at a person, talking to a person, or hearing a person.

The lesson gives the example of a person who is legally blind, but others would likely never know unless the person told them.

Additional note: In accessibility testing, invisible disabilities matter because users may not disclose them. The interface still has to work without forcing the user to explain their disability.

Temporary and permanent disabilities

Not all disabilities are permanent. Some are temporary.

Examples of temporary disabilities include:

  • Surgery recovery
  • Head trauma or concussions
  • Broken limbs

Quick review

Topic Main point
Disability presence Disability affects a large share of the global and U.S. population.
Age Disability becomes more common as people get older.
Category percentages Mobility, cognitive, vision, and hearing disabilities are named in the chart.
Spectrum One disability label can include many different lived experiences.
Health impact Disability can intersect with healthcare access and other health conditions.
Visibility Not all disabilities are apparent to others.
Duration Disabilities may be temporary or permanent.

Video and self-study resources

Video links

Self-study links