Using disability statistics in local decisionmaking

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Using disability statistics in local
decision-making

• Susan Stoddard, PhD, FAICP, InfoUse
• RRTC on Disability Demographics and Statistics
  (StatsRRTC)
• Cornell University, funded by NIDRR

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Overview

• Introduction
• Local data available now for planners
• American Community Survey
• Making ACS disability data more useful for
  planners
• Conclusions data value and data gaps
• Resources and references

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Introduction

• New data opportunities support planning and
  policy-making for people with disabilities
• Existing data resources have expanded
  consideration of disability in land use and
  community planning

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Introduction continued

• Disability population estimates depend on the
  definitions used in surveys and can be misleading
• Educating planners, local policy-makers and the
  public about disability statistics will
  contribute to better understanding and better
  plans

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Environmental barriers

• The built environment limits activities and
  access
• Building design is leading barrier to Community
  Participation (Gerry Hendershot, analysis based
  on the NHIS-D)

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Barriers to Participation, NHIS-D
Gerry Hendershot
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Barriers, continued
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Local data available now for planners

• Studies using BRFSS linked the planning and
  public health communities
• Obesity/density correlations
• APHA journal article on state estimates
• Census 2000 and the American Community Survey
• State and local statistics some now, some soon

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Among the purposes of ACS

• Local community planners use these data to
  decide where to locate facilities and services
  for people with disabilities. (American
  Community Survey A Handbook for State and Local
  Officials, US Census)

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American Community Survey

• 6 questions that define disability
• Sensory
• Mobility/Physical
• Mental/Cognitive
• Self-care
• Go outside the home
• Employment

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Sensory

• Does this person have any of the following long
  lasting conditions?
• a. Blindness, deafness, or a severe vision or
  hearing impairment??

12
Mobility/Physical

• (Does this person have any of the following long
  lasting conditions?)
• b. A condition that substantially limits one or
  more basic physical activities such as walking,
  climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying?

13
Mental/Cognitive

• Because of a physical, mental, or emotional
  condition lasting 6 months or more, does this
  person have any difficulty in doing any of the
  following activities?
• a. Learning, remembering, or concentrating??

14
Self-care

• (Because of a physical, mental, or emotional
  condition lasting 6 months or more, does this
  person have any difficulty in doing any of the
  following activities?)
• b. Dressing, bathing, or getting around inside
  the home?

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Go outside the home (15 and older)

• Because of a physical, mental, or emotional
  condition lasting 6 months or more, does this
  person have any difficulty in doing any of the
  following activities?
• a. Going outside the home alone to shop or visit
  a doctors office?

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Employment (15 -64)

• Because of a physical, mental, or emotional
  condition lasting 6 months or more, does this
  person have any difficulty in doing any of the
  following activities?
• b. Working at a job or business

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2004 ACS US
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Status reports based on ACS

• RRTC on Disability Demographics and Statistics,
  Cornell University
• National and state ACS data, 2003 and 2004 data
• Disability statistics compared over time
  StatsRRTC Disability Status Reports
• Download from www.disabilitystatistics.org

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Making ACS disability data more useful for
planners

• Organizing the information
• Translate Census/ACS definitions into community
  needs
• Improving access to local level information
  supporting community planning needs
• Project to develop planning templates
• Statistics website for template data

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The next four years

• 65 ,000, 2006 20,000, 2008 Census tract,
  block group, 2010
• 2006 Census of Group Quarters
• Disability statistics templates to become
  available for small area statistics, 2006-2008

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Conclusions Data value and data gaps

• Data now and soon provide local statistics on
  types of disability
• Disability data can support planning and advocacy
• Need for simpler access and for reports designed
  for planners and policy-makers Goal of StatsRRTC
  Templates
• Relate these broad categories to service and
  community needs

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Resources

• American Factfinder factfinder.census.gov
• RRTC on Disability Demographics and Statistics
  www.disabilitystatistics.org
• RRTC on Personal Assistance Services
  www.pascenter.org

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References

• Okoro, Catherine et. al., State and
  Metropolitan-Area Estimates of disability in the
  United States, 2001 JAPHA, (based on BRFSS)
• Hendershot, Gerry, Building Design is Leading
  Barrier to Community Participation, www.nod.org
• Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on
  Disability Demographics and Statistics (2005)
  2004 Disability Status Reports Ithaca, NY
  Cornell University

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References, cont.

• Stern, Sharon and Matthew Brault, Disability
  Data from the American Community Survey A Brief
  Examination of the Effects of a Question Redesign
  in 2003, January 28, 2005
• Stoddard, Susan Ph.D., FAICP Planners and
  Social Equity Lessons from the Disability
  Movement, California Planner Nov-Dec, 1995.
• US Census. American Community Survey A Handbook
  for State and Local Officials, current
• US Census, Quick Guide to the 2004 American
  Community Survey in American Factfinder, 8/30/05

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Contact information

• Susan Stoddard, Ph.D., FAICP
• InfoUse
• 2560 9th Street Suite 320
• Berkeley CA 94710
• 510-549-6520
• Sustoddard_at_aol.com