Category Archives: Census

Disability Statistics Released for 2010

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Large quantities of survey data and administrative records related to people with disabilities are collected each year. Policymakers, program administrators, service providers, researchers, advocates for people with disabilities, and people with disabilities and their families need accessible, valid data/statistics to support their decisions related to policy improvements, program administration, service delivery, protection of civil rights, and major life activities.

In an effort to provide this data the 2010 Disability Statistics Compendium was just released. This information may be found on the Disability Compendium website here: http://www.disabilitycompendium.org/.

- Thanks to Fairfax County Disability Services and NVRC, 11/18/2010.



Number of Americans with Hearing Loss

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By John Waldo

From Hearing Loss Web http://www.hearinglossweb.com/Issues/Identity/num.htm

January 2010

Editor: John Waldo is an attorney and a dedicated advocate for people with hearing loss. As you can imagine, he needs to know how many Americans have hearing loss, and he must be able to defend his numbers. Here he is with his thoughts on which numbers are the best to use and why!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my advocacy work, the question comes up constantly of “how many people are we talking about.” So I’ve spent some time trying to find what I think are the most solid, defensible numbers.

My favorite study — the one I refer to as the “gold standard” — was published in August of 2008 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the peer-reviewed “official” journals of the American Medical Association. The study was authored by Yuri Agrawal, a resident at Johns Hopkins University, who worked under the supervision of John Niparko, the head of the ENT department at Hopkins, which department is frequently ranked as the nation’s best.

In addition to the unimpeachable source, there are two things I particularly like about the Hopkins study. First, the results are based not on self-reporting, but on actual audiograms of a very large and randomly selected sample of the U.S. population. Second, the study specifically defines what it means by “hearing loss” — actually, there are several definitions.

The definition that I found the most meaningful is a binaural hearing loss of 25dB or greater in the speech frequencies. That definition is widely accepted as being the point at which hearing loss ceases to be a mere inconvenience, and becomes “handicapping” because it interferes with the ability to understand speech.

Using that definition, the Hopkins study found that overall, 7.8 percent of the adult population between ages 20 and 69 have a handicapping hearing loss.

Not surprisingly, the prevalence of hearing loss increases dramatically with age. Only six-tenths of one percent of adults between 20 and 29 have a handicapping loss. But between 60 and 69, the prevalence of adults with a handicapping loss increases to 31 percent. Unfortunately, the Hopkins data do not include people 70 and over, but we all know that hearing continues to deteriorate past that age.

When I apply those numbers to Census Bureau figures about population by age, and make the very conservative assumption that the prevalence of hearing loss continues to be 31 percent after age 70, I come out with about 25 million people with a significant, handicapping hearing loss.

I know this isn’t quite as dramatic as the higher numbers of 36 or 37 million. But in my work, I expect any numbers I throw out to be subject to cross-examination, and I need to be prepared to answer questions like “says who,” and “how did they make that determination,” and “what do you mean when you say hearing loss.” More than any other study I’ve found, the Hopkins study gives me the tools I need to answer those questions.

- Thanks to NVRC, Fairfax


Beware of mailings focusing on senior citizens and the deaf community

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By Tony Rizzo and Joe Lambe, The Kansas City Star, 2/1/10

Law enforcement agencies Monday were warning the public — especially the deaf community and senior citizens — about two suspicious mailings seeking money and personal information.

The FBI is warning senior citizens about an official-looking survey that seeks money and personal financial information.

Although not labeling it a scam, the bureau said the mailing is not connected to the U.S. census or any other federal agency, although it looks similar to a legitimate census document.

The mailing purports to be a “2010 Census of Senior Citizens” and asks recipients to answer survey questions and says the results will be shared with the president of the United States. Questions concern health care and other senior-related issues.

It solicits donations ranging from $15 to $25 so additional surveys can be sent to other senior citizens. It also asks for credit card information if people want to donate.

“It is not the official census, and the census would never ask to send money,” said FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton. “As always, we caution providing any personal and or financial information to unverified entities.”

Patton said the FBI doesn’t know of anyone in the Kansas City area having provided money, but it wants people to be aware.

“If you did not initiate the contact, be very cautious about providing any personally identifying information or financial information,” Patton said.

Also on Monday, Johnson County prosecutors warned that thieves are focusing on deaf persons in letters or an Internet scam.

Victims are told they are on a special list to get government money, said Steve Howe, Johnson County district attorney.

Included in the response is a request for name, address, occupation, sex, date of birth and e-mail address with a password, he said.

That information allows scammers access to personal account information, Howe said.

He asks that people report such letters or e-mails to fraud teams at Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL or Google. If you think you have been a victim, Howe says to call the Johnson County prosecutor’s consumer hot line at 913-715-3003.

To reach Tony Rizzo, call 816-234-4435 or send e-mail to trizzo@kcstar.com.

- Thanks to NVRC, Fairfax


U.S. Disability Statistics

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facts

From U.S. Census Bureau News, U.S. Department of Commerce

CB09-FF.13 May 26, 2009

Americans with Disabilities Act: July 26

On this day in 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), guaranteeing equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public accommodations, commercial facilities, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

NVRC NOTE:  Statistics below with a check mark are specific to deaf and hard of hearing individuals

Population Distribution

41.2 million

Number of people who have some level of disability. They represent 15 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population 5 and older.

By age -

  • 6 percent of children 5 to 15 have disabilities.
  • 12 percent of people 16 to 64 have disabilities.
  • 41 percent of adults 65 and older have disabilities. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

15%

Percentage of females with a disability, compared with 14 percent of males. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Using or Needing Assistance

11 million

Number of disabled people 6 and older who need personal assistance with everyday activities. This group amounts to 4 percent of people in this age category. These activities include such tasks as getting around inside the home, taking a bath or shower, preparing meals and performing light housework.

3.3 million

Number of people 15 and older who use a wheelchair. Another 10.2 million use an ambulatory aid such as a cane, crutches or walker.

Specific Disabilities

1.8 million

Number of people 15 and older who report being unable to see printed words at all or were blind.

ü  1 million

Number of people 15 and older who reported deafness or being unable to hear conversations at all.

2.5 million

Number of people 15 and older who have some difficulty having their speech understood by others. Of this number, 431,000 were unable to have their speech understood at all.

16.1 million

Number of people with limitations in cognitive functioning, or who have a mental or emotional illness that interferes with daily activities, including those with Alzheimer’s disease and mental retardation. This group comprises 7 percent of the population 15 and older. This included 8.4 million with one or more problems that interfere with daily activities, such as frequently being depressed or anxious, trouble getting along with others, trouble concentrating and trouble coping with stress.

On the Job

13.3 million

Number of 16- to 64-year-olds who reported a medical condition that makes it difficult to find a job or remain employed. They comprise 7 percent of the population this age.

46%

Percentage of people 21 to 64 having some type of disability who were employed in the past year. The rate ranged from 75 percent of those with a nonsevere disability to 31 percent with a severe disability. For those without a disability, the employment rate is 84 percent for the same period.

ü  59%

Percent of people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing that were employed. The corresponding percentage for those with difficulty seeing was 41 percent.

48%

Percentage of people 21 to 64 with a nonsevere disability who work full time. This compares with 63 percent without a disability and 16 percent with a severe disability.

Income and Poverty

$2,250

Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with a nonsevere disability. This compares with $2,539 for those with no disability and $1,458 for those with a severe disability.

ü  $2,252

Median monthly earnings for people 21 to 64 with difficulty hearing. The corresponding figure for those with difficulty seeing was $1,932.

12%

The poverty rate for people 25 to 64 with a nonsevere disability. This compares with 27 percent for those with a severe disability and 9 percent of those without a disability.

Serving Our Nation

$28.2 billion

Amount of compensation veterans received for service-connected disabilities in fiscal year 2007. Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 505 http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/.

Accommodations

98.5%

Percent of transit buses that were ADA lift- or ramp-equipped, as of 2006. This represents an increase from 61.7 percent in 1995. Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 1075 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>.

Unless otherwise indicated, all the data are from the Americans with Disabilities: 2005 report at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/sipp/disable05.html

Census Bureau Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.

- Thanks to John Hudson and NVRC, Fairfax