Understanding the Common Types of Disabilities in the US

There is a prevalence of many different types of disabilities in the US. These include issues with walking, seeing, hearing, thinking, or self-care. Disabilities affect daily life, work, and access to services. Older adults face higher rates, with over half of those 80 and above impacted. Awareness helps improve support and laws like the ADA. In this blog post, readers will learn the most common types, stats by group, causes, rights, and resources. 

Most Common Types of Disabilities

CDC data shows the top five disability types among US adults. These affect daily tasks like moving, thinking, and caring for oneself. Learn more about the names of disabilities in each category below.

Cognitive Disability: This means serious trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions. It impacts work, school, and managing money. Examples include dementia and ADHD. About 1 in 7 adults face this, often from brain injury or aging. It limits independence in planning daily life.​

Mobility Disability: This involves serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. It affects getting around, jobs, and errands. Examples include arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Older adults see higher rates. Wheelchairs or aids help many manage it.​

Independent Living Disability: This is trouble doing errands alone, like shopping or doctor visits. It reduces self-reliance at home. Examples link to other health issues. Support services aid daily tasks. It hits 1 in 13 adults.​

Hearing Disability: This covers being deaf or having serious hearing trouble. It hinders talks, alerts, and phone use. Hearing aids or signs help. Examples include age-related loss. It affects social and work life.​

Vision Disability: This means blindness or serious sight issues, even with glasses. It limits reading, driving, and navigation. Examples include glaucoma. Screen readers assist. It impacts safety and access to info.​

What Causes These Disabilities?

Some of the common causes lead to these disabilities. Aging raises risk as body functions decline over time. Chronic diseases like arthritis and diabetes harm joints and nerves. Injuries from falls or accidents damage mobility and cognition. 

Mental health issues such as depression affect thinking and daily tasks. Many disabilities occur together, like arthritis with heart disease. Risk factors include obesity, smoking, and a poor diet.

Genetics also causes some disabilities, like Down syndrome, for cognitive issues. Strokes lead to mobility and thinking problems. Infections such as meningitis harm hearing or vision. Poor prenatal care raises birth-related risks. Environmental factors like pollution affect development. These causes often mix, making disabilities harder to predict.

How Prevalent Are Disabilities Across Demographics?

Disabilities vary by age, race, and gender in the US. CDC data shows higher rates in certain groups, affecting health access and support needs.​

• Adults 65+ have disabilities at rates over 40%, due to aging effects.​
• Non-Hispanic AI/AN adults report a 54.9% disability rate among seniors.​
• Women face higher overall rates than men for most types.​
• Non-Hispanic Black adults show a 29% prevalence across ages.​
• Poverty is linked to up to 5 times higher mobility issues.

What Rights Protect People with Disabilities?

The main civil rights law is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. It bans disability discrimination in jobs, public places, transportation, and government services. Employers must offer reasonable accommodations when possible. 

The Rehabilitation Act, especially Section 504, protects people in programs that receive federal funds, like schools and hospitals. Together, these laws support equal access, fair treatment, and the right to ask for changes when barriers exist.

Conclusion

People with disabilities make up a large part of the US population. We should know about the common types, like cognition and mobility issues, their causes from aging to injuries, rates by age and race, and key rights under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act. These facts show why awareness matters for better support and inclusion.