2020 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Section 2: Functioning
This section expands upon Section 1: Population and Prevalence to provide more details about prevalence by disability types. It presents the prevalence of people with multiple disability types, specifically those who have a functional limitation (vision, hearing, ambulatory, or cognitive disabilities) as well as an activity of daily living disability (self-care disabilities) and/or an instrumental activity of daily living disability (independent living disabilities). Self-care disabilities are defined as difficulties with activities that promote well-being and health, such as bathing or dressing. Independent living disabilities are defined as difficulties with doing activities alone that promote self-determination and self-respect, such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping. Activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living can be proxies for whether the environment is enabling or disabling. For example, a person with vision disabilities may identify as also having self-care disabilities in an unsupportive environment but may not report a self-care disabilities in an environment with adequate accommodations. Self-care and independent living disabilities can occur at the same time or exclusive of one another (e.g., an individual can have difficulties bathing but is able to go shopping alone).
The source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Statistics for people with disabilities (disability status or disability type) are based on having responded ‘yes’ to a series of questions within the American Community Survey (see the glossary for more details). Please note that this section focuses on people ages 18-64.
Tables
Table 2.1: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 641,692 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both vision disabilities and self-care disabilities (or 16.9 percent). 1,118,270 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both vision disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 29.5 percent).
Table 2.2: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 554,532 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had vision disabilities and both self-care disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 14.6 percent). 87,160 people ages 18-64 with vision disabilities had self-care disabilities but not independent living disabilities (or 2.3 percent). 563,738 people ages 18-64 with vision disabilities had independent living disabilities but not self-care disabilities (or 14.8 percent).
Table 2.3: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 483,603 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both hearing disabilities and self-care disabilities (or 12.4 percent). Also, 784,064 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both vision disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 20.1 percent).
Table 2.4: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 394,697 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had hearing disabilities as well as both self-care disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 10.1 percent). 88,906 people ages 18-64 with hearing disabilities had self-care disabilities but not independent living disabilities (or 2.2 percent). 389,367 people ages 18-64 with hearing disabilities had independent living disabilities but not self-care disabilities (or 10.0 percent).
Table 2.5: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 2,907,280 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both ambulatory disabilities and self-care disabilities (or 31.3 percent). 4,105,480 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both ambulatory disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 44.3 percent).
Table 2.6: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 2,334,985 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had ambulatory disabilities as well as both self-care disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 25.2 percent). 572,295 people ages 18-64 with ambulatory disabilities had self-care disabilities but not independent living disabilities (or 6.1 percent). 1,770,495 people ages 18-64 with ambulatory disabilities had independent living disabilities but not self-care disabilities (or 19.1 percent).
Table 2.7: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 1,929,381 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both cognitive disabilities and self-care disabilities (or 21.1 percent). 4,463,832 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had both cognitive disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 48.9 percent).
Table 2.8: In 2019, in the United States an estimated 1,705,172 civilians ages 18-64 living in the community had cognitive disabilities as well as both self-care disabilities and independent living disabilities (or 18.7 percent). 224,209 people ages 18-64 with cognitive disabilities had self-care disabilities but not independent living disabilities (or 2.4 percent). 2,758,660 people ages 18-64 with cognitive disabilities had independent living disabilities but not self-care disabilities (or 30.2 percent).