Revising the United Nations Census Recommendations on Disability

1. Revising the United Nations Census Recommendations on Disability Margaret Mbogoni and Angela Me First meeting of the Washington Group on Disability Measurement Washington, 18-20 February 2002

2. Methodology Used in Measurement of Disability • Differences between studies with respect to: • Definition of disability used • The type of question used • The wording of the question • The scope of the question

3. Defining Disability • Not much information is available in DISTAT • Disability is defined differently by different countries

4. Types of Questions Used • Three broad approaches: • A generic question on presence of condition and items on activity limitations and/or participation • A generic question on presence of handicapped or disabled in household • A check list of severe impairments

5. United Nations Census Recommendations • Provide guidance on: • How to define the population with disabilities • How to develop the question(s) • Possible tabulations

6. Recommended Definition A person with disability is defined as “a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem”

7. Recommended List of Disability Items (1) Seeing difficulties (even with glasses, if worn); (2) Hearing difficulties (even with hearing aid, if used); (3) Speaking difficulties (talking); (4) Moving/mobility difficulties (walking, climbing stairs, standing); (5) Body movement difficulties (reaching, crouching, kneeling);

8. Recommended List of Disability Items (6) Gripping/holding difficulties (using fingers to grip or handle objects); (7) Learning difficulties (intellectual difficulties, retardation); (8) Behavioural difficulties (psychological, emotional problems); (9) Personal care difficulties (bathing, dressing, feeding); (10) Others (specify).

9. Use of the UN Census Recommendations • The approach, i.e., activity limitations • List of disability items

10. Revision of the Census Recommendations • Approach in terms of concept to be used • The list of types of disability

11. Measuring Implementation of Recommendations • Technical co-operations – workshops • Data compilation and dissemination – DISTAT • Regularize Compilation and dissemination - UN Demographic Yearbook

12. DISTAB Project • NCHS sponsored – began in 1999 • Members – Canada, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, USA and UNSD

13. Objectives of DISTAB • To test usability of ICIDH-2 beta 2 in surveys • Back coding disability categories based on the UN recommended tables on disability to the ICIDH-2 codes

14. Lessons Learned From DISTAB • Variability in methodology • Instruments • Terminology

15. Lessons Learnt • Call for harmonization of of methodology for disability measurement • Recommendation to UN to hold international meeting aimed at improving design of questions

16. New Initiatives • Expanded membership to include Australia and Japan • New projects • Inventory of questions on participation and environment • Quality profiles