METHODS: First, data from three population-based health surveys were used to estimate the prevalence and population estimates of disability among adults 18 years of age or older. Second, state-level data from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (n = 491,773) were used to calculate age-adjusted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of select health measures for adults 18 years of age or older overall and stratified by disability status. Third, Disability and Health Data System was recently updated with 2013 estimates to present age-adjusted prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals among adults with and without disabilities for 30 health indicators. Finally, the State of Alaska Health and Disabilities program engaged partners at the University of Alaska-Anchorage’s Center for Human Development to complete a needs assessment.
RESULTS: Using similar questions to measure disability (which may include limitations in vision, hearing, cognition, mobility, self-care and independent living), prevalence estimates varied by survey and represent a range of 40.2 million to 54.7 million U.S. adults. Using BRFSS data, the prevalence of any disability for the U.S. and territories overall was 22.4%, and the five disability types were 10.7% (cognitive), 13.1% (mobility), 4.8% (vision), 3.6% (self-care), and 6.6% (independent living). Overall, 18.5% (95% CI: 18.2, 18.7) of adults reported current smoking, 28.9% (28.6, 29.2) reported physical inactivity, and 30.6% (30.3, 30.8) reported hypertension. Surveillance data along with the results of the needs assessment were used to develop the Alaska state plan to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities among people with disabilities.
CONCLUSIONS: Elizabeth Courtney-Long, Alissa Stevens, and Michelle Sloan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will review the varied ways that adults with disabilities can be identified in population based datasets, current knowledge on health disparities experienced by adults with disabilities, and online tools that are available to find current health and demographic data among people with disabilities. Finally, the State of Alaska Health and Disabilities program will present recent successful programmatic efforts that were identified using current disability data.