Disability Data

Statistic of the Month – How Multidimensional Poverty Measures Overlook Accessibility for People with Disabilities

Having a toilet isn’t the same as being able to use it. Most multidimensional poverty indices count services, but they don’t ask whether those services are actually accessible for people with disabilities. So real deprivations for people with disabilities are not captured in the data, and it is invisible for public policies. If we want truly inclusive housing and infrastructure, accessibility aspects should be considered and the needs of people with disabilities have to show up in the numbers first.

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Disability Data

Statistic of the Month – How Education Gaps by Disability Vary Across Age Groups

What if education gaps by disability are being measured incorrectly? Comparisons often mix all ages, but many people acquire disabilities after finishing school, and older generations had less access to education. Comparing everyone together distorts today’s picture of inclusion.

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Disability Data

Statistic of the Month – Employment vs. Unemployment: What Are We Really Measuring?

When comparing employment outcomes for persons with and without disabilities, the unemployment rate is often the first statistic cited. But does it tell the full story? This month, we explore why focusing on employment rates (and those outside the labour force) provides a more accurate picture of the barriers adults with disabilities face in accessing work.

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Disability Data

The United States Census Bureau’s Decision to Switch to the Washington Group Questions

The US Census Bureau announced a proposed change to how it identifies people with disabilities in its data collection, switching from the existing six disability questions in the American Community Survey (ACS) to the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS) of six questions. This has caused concern in the US disability community, but I believe it would be a significant improvement in US data.

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