A disability is a condition that limits or restricts a person's ability to perform daily activities normally. Individuals with disabilities face difficulty in performing normal day-to-day tasks. For instance, a person who has undergone amputation because of gangrene may be unable to go to work. This inability to work is known as a disability, and amputation is an impairment.

Types of Disabilities

There are two main types of disabilities, primary and secondary. Primary disabilities occur as a direct consequence of a disease, whereas secondary disabilities may develop subsequently. For example, Genu varum may occur in people who have osteoarthritis, while synergic patterns may occur in people who have had a stroke.

Barriers for Persons with Disabilities

Persons with disabilities often face barriers to full participation in society. These barriers include physical and architectural, information or communication, technological, organizational, and attitudinal barriers.

Classification of Disabilities

There are six types of disabilities, including locomotor disabilities, visual disabilities, speech disabilities, mental disabilities, cerebral palsy, and mental illness. In addition, the World Health Organization recognizes 21 different types of disabilities.

Disability in Developed Countries

Australia is an example of a developed country where many individuals experience disability. According to the 2018 Australian census, about 18% (or 4.4 million) of the population have a disability. Another 22% (or 5.5 million) have a long-term health condition but no disability, while the remaining 60% (or 14.8 million) have no disability or long-term health condition.

The Survey of Disability, Ageing, and Carers collects data on disabilities in Australia. A person is classified as disabled when they have limitations, restrictions, or impairments that last for at least six months and restrict daily activities. Disability is grouped into ten activities: self-care, mobility, communication, cognitive or emotional tasks, healthcare, reading or writing tasks, transport, household chores, property maintenance, and meal preparation. In addition, people with disabilities may experience difficulty or restrictions in schooling and employment.

Disability Prevalence

The prevalence of disability varies by age and gender. Generally, the prevalence of disability increases with age. Children aged 0-14 have a 7.6% prevalence of disability, while people over age 65 have a prevalence of 50%. The prevalence of disability is 9.3% for people aged 15-24 and 13% for those aged 15-64.

In 2012, a survey by Statistics Canada showed that approximately 3.8 million Canadian adults reported experiencing limitations in their daily activities due to a disability. The most prevalent forms of disability in Canada are chronic pain issues, mobility limitations, and flexibility limitations. According to the 2012 census, 11% of Canadian adults have at least one of these disabilities, and 40% of these people experience all three at the same time. It was not until the late 1970s that disabled people in Canada were granted the same rights as the non-disabled population. The Coalition of Provincial Organizations of the Handicapped initiated the change, now known as the Council for Canadians with Disabilities (CCD).

The CCD was established in 1976 by people with disabilities to provide support for those who seek to participate in activities, including school, work, volunteering, and recreational, sports, and cultural activities. The CCD is a national human rights organization working towards an accessible and inclusive Canada. To achieve their goal, the CCD established different committees, such as the Human Rights Committee, Social Policy Committee, Transport Committee, International Development Committee, and Access to Technology Committee.

As per a Canadian survey conducted in 2012, around 3.8 million Canadians aged 15 to 64 were regarded as disabled. Out of them, only 20.2% of Canadians with disabilities have a university degree, while the number for non-disabled is 40.7%. There are different disability benefits in Canada, including Canadian Pension Plan Disability Benefits, Child Disability Benefit, Education Funding for People with disabilities, Canada Pension Plan Children’s Benefits, and Tax Credits and Deductions for Person’s with disabilities.

In India, disabled people constitute 2.21% of the total population as per the 2011 census. Of these disabled persons, 4.62% belong to the age group of 0-6 years. As per the 2021 census, 2.41% of the male population and 2.01% of the female population have disabilities. India signed the United Nations Convention On Rights of Person’s with Disability, brought into existence on October 1st, 2007. The Constitutional framework for the disabled in India includes Article 41 of the Directive Principles Of State Policy (DPSP) and "Relief of the Disabled and Unemployable" specified in the state list of seventh schedule of the constitution.

Disabled people in India experience various issues, including discrimination, health concerns, and employment difficulties. Discrimination makes it difficult for the disabled population to attain their functioning, with women and girls with disabilities experiencing a higher risk of gender-based violence. Many disabilities are preventable, but there is a lack of awareness and good and accessible medical facilities. Additionally, there are few special schools and training opportunities, resulting in a lack of proper education and employment for disabled individuals.

To address these issues, India has adopted a community-based rehabilitation approach.

The report on disabilities among people highlights the varying degrees and types of disabilities recorded in surveys. Visual disabilities stood at 18.8%, auditory disabilities accounted for 18.9%, speech impediments were present in 7.5%, and 20.3% were recorded for those with movement-related disabilities. Mental retardation had 7.6%, mental illness at 2.7%, multiple disabilities at 7.9%, and other types at 18.4%.

To protect the rights and welfare of people with disabilities, India has implemented several laws concerning disabled individuals. A notable legal framework is the Person with Disability Act, established in 1995, which aims for equal opportunities and rights for them. This law further recognises and accommodates for the needs of the disabled, and provides affirmative action in the form of special reserved quotas for government job positions as well as higher education institutions. The Right of Persons with Disability Act in 2016 has enhanced selections from seven to twenty-one disabilities, an improvement for the recognition of those differently abled.

The Mental Health Care Act in 2017 specifies legal rights for psychological disabilities and, moreover, provision for the appointment of legal guardians for people with disabilities.

In Australia, data collected by the 2018 Survey of Disability, Ageing, and Carers by the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed 4.4 million Australians, i.e., 17.7% of the population, experience some form of disability, a percentage that was slightly lower than the previous survey in 2015. In Queensland, specifically, 19.1% of the population (or 1 in every 5 Queenslanders) has a disability. Age-related data in Queensland indicated 3.8% were aged from 0 to 4 years old, 9.9% were aged 5 to 14, and 84.9% were aged 90 years old and above. These statistics help to quantify the extent of disability within the Australian population.

In Canada, demographic information is collected in various ways, including internet responses, paper questionnaires, and census help-lines. Some demographic data processes in Canada determine the population's size, composition, and distribution. The five processes are fertility, mortality, marriage, migration, and social mobility.

According to the latest Indian census in 2021, 14.9 million males (56%) and 11.9 million females (44%) were recorded as disabled, making up 2.41% of the male population and 2.01% of the female population. The reported percentages of varying types of disabilities were similar to previous surveys.

The legislative efforts towards safeguarding the rights of individuals with disabilities yielded the Right of Persons with Disability Act in 2016. Additionally, the government introduced the Mental Health Care Act in 2017 as another step in promoting and improving mental health care services in the country. This legislation plays a crucial role in supporting and protecting the rights of those who suffer from mental illnesses while ensuring that they receive proper treatment and care. Overall, the Mental Health Care Act of 2017 represents a significant stride towards enhancing the accessibility, affordability, and quality of mental health services in India.