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Disability appears to be an important public health
problem in the US, even among working adults. An
estimated one in five US adults said they had a disability in 1999,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the analysis of more than 53,000 adults
aged 18 years or older, 22% (equivalent to 44 million of the US adult
population) reported having a disability. Of the adults who reported the
main health condition causing their disability:
- 18% had arthritis and rheumatism
- 17% had back or spine problems
- 8% had heart trouble/hardening of
the arteries
Disabilities included problems with climbing a flight
of stairs, walking three city blocks, lifting or carrying a 10 pound item,
or difficulty completing household tasks. Other survey subjects reported
the use of a cane, crutch, walker or wheelchair.
63% of all disabilities
occurred among working adults
"Disability is more common than we thought
it would be in the working age population. We think as people age they
are going to have some type of limitation, but the survey shows a large
percentage of disability was among people of working age," the authors
state.
Women were more likely to report arthritis or rheumatism
compared with men, and women had a total rate of disability of 24% compared
with 20% among men. Men were more likely to report problems with their
heart or arteries and deafness or hearing problems than women, according
to the survey.
Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report 2001;50:120-125
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