Data on Disability

 


Initiative on Collecting Disability Data

In 2003, the IDB initiated a series of sub-regional meetings on disability data in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The purpose was to assess the status of disability data in each country. Over the last 2 years, the IDB has assisted countries to analyze existing data on disability, and in two countries - Nicaragua and Guatemala - funded disability surveys.

The links above will direct the reader to the presentations and reports prepared by national statistical institutes and other agencies, such as UN's Washington City Group on Disability Statistics and the World Bank who have participated in this initiative. The presentations provide data on disability in LAC and current international trends in disability measurement. The IDB is developing national and sub-regional reports on disability statistics in LAC. As these reports are completed they will be posted on this site. Taken together, the presentations and the reports represent one of the few collections on disability data in the LAC region available online.


Latest Disability Prevalence Rates in LAC:

Argentina 7.1% Survey 2001
Bahamas 2.3% Census 2000
Barbados 4.6% Census 2000
Bolivia 3.8% Census 2001
Brazil 14.5% Census 2000
Chile 12.9% Survey 2004
Colombia 6.3% Census 2005
Costa Rica 5.4% Census 2000
Ecuador 12.1% Survey 2004
El Salvador 1.5% Survey 2004
Guyana 3.9% Survey 1981
Guatemala 3.7% Survey 2005
Honduras 2.7% Survey 2002
Jamaica 2.8% Census 2000
Mexico 1.8% Census 2000
Nicaragua 10.3% Survey 2003
Panama 11.3% Survey 2005
Paraguay 1% Census 2002
Peru 8.7% Census 2005
Suriname 2.8% Census 1980
Trinidad & Tobago 4.5% Census 2001
Uruguay 7.6% Survey 2003
Venezuela 3.9% Census 2001


Regional Harmonization of Disability Definitions

Definitions and techniques used to measure disability prevalence, cause and effect varies greatly between and within countries. Recently, disability definitions have evolved from a focus on impairment to an examination of functional capabilities. The first identifies the presence of a sensory, physical or mental deficiency (blindness, muteness, bodily impairment, retardation, etc.), whereas the second focuses on a persons ability to perform essential life skills (walking, taking personal care, learning, performing a job, etc.) The two definitions provide vastly different prevalence estimates and as a result comparability is difficult.

The Bank continues to support activities on harmonizing disability definitions at a regional scale. In May 2005, the IDB held it's third sub-regional meeting for the Southern Cone countries with a thematic focus on Regional Harmonization of Disability Definitions. In September 2005, the Washington City Group organized its 5th meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Bank supported in bringing participants together from the LAC region: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/otheract/citygroup/meeting5.htm


IDB Seminars on Disability Data

In June 2005, the IDB completed a round of six sub-regional meetings to discuss the status of disability data in Latin America and the Caribbean. The first meeting was held in 2003 for the MERCOSUR+ 2 countries - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia and Chile - followed by meetings in Central America (2004), the Caribbean (2005) and the Andean region (2005). These meetings were attended by representatives of national statistical institutes, disability NGOs, and national disability councils. The Bank has worked closely with the Washington City Group on Disability Data, the World Bank, CEPAL, Andean Community, and CARICOM in this work. The presentations can also be viewed by country.

Disability Data in the Andean Region
Lima, Peru. June 7-8, 2005

Regional Harmonization of the Disability Definition
Buenos Aires, Argentina. May 10-11, 2005

Disability Data in the Caribbean
Kingston, Jamaica. April 14-15, 2005

Second Meeting on Disability Statistics in the Southern Cone
Santiago, Chile. October 28-29, 2004

Statistics on Persons with Disabilities
Managua, Nicaragua. August 31 - September 1, 2004

Disability Statistics in the Southern Cone
Buenos Aires. July 7-8, 2003