Understanding and Working with Communities Living with Disabilities
The Centers for Disease Control categorizes disabilities into six main categories: Mobility, Cognition, Independent Living, Hearing, Vision, and Self-Care. The CDC reports that 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability, and in New York that number is 3,895,999 - representing 25% of the adults residing in New York. According to Suffolk County Government's Division of People with Disabilities, 283,000 of Suffolk's population of 1.5 million adults and children have disabilities - or 18.5%. The Nassau County Office for the Physically Challenged recognizes over 250,000 adults and children with disabilities, or 18% of the Nassau population of 1.39 million residents.
Data Sources
The Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) is managed by the Centers for Disease Control, providing instant access to state-level health and demographic data about adults with disabilities. "Users can customize data maps, charts, and tables, making it easy to see information about their state or region. They can identify health differences between adults with and without disabilities overall, and by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Data can be used in presentations, reports, grant applications, or to inform decision-makers."
Disability Statistics from the Yang-Tan Institute The estimates provided on this website are based on analyses of three different data sources: the American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS), and Census 2000. The Yang-Tan Institute (YTI) is based out of Cornell University.
StateData.info allows users to find, sort, and analyze data related to employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The site includes data from state IDD agencies, and vocational rehabilitation outcomes and services from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. It also features data from the Social Security Administration, state mental health agencies, the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the National Core Indicators Project, and the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, Annual Disability Statistics Supplement, and State Reports for County-level Data are web-based tools that pool disability statistics published by various federal agencies together in one place. The Annual Disability Statistics Supplement provides hundreds of additional tables breaking down the content found in the Compendium by age, gender, and race-ethnicity. The State Reports for County-level Data provide county-level statistics for each state complimenting the content found in the Compendium and Supplement. These are provided through the Center for Research on Disability, based out of the University of New Hampshire.
Guides and Infographics
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is the federal government’s primary disability research organization. NIDILRR is part of the Administration for Community Living.
SBU Library Disability Studies Research Guide
Guide: Focus Groups in Intellectual Disabilities Research
Guidelines for Researchers when Interviewing People with an Intellectual Disability
Tips for Communicating with Female Patients with Intellectual Disabilities
Communicating With and About People with Disabilities
Accessibility
What Healthcare Professionals Can Do to be Accessible
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Resource Library
Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Tip Sheet
Medical Diagnostic Equipment Accessibility Standards: U.S. Access Board
Prescription Drug Container Labels for Vision Impaired: U.S. Access Board
ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities: ADA Guidance
Effective Communication: ADA Requirements
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Articles
NIDILRR Publications and Resources
Engaging the disability community in informatics research: rationales and practical steps
Inclusive innovation in telehealth
Lessons Learned From Research Collaboration Among People With and Without Developmental Disabilities
Enhancing research practice in developmental disabilities
Harmonizing Disability Data To Improve Disability Research And Policy
Physical Disability and Psychedelic Therapies: An Agenda for Inclusive Research and Practice
Other Resources
Working while Disabled - Social Security Administration 2023
Transition Guide for Youth: Planning and Managing Your Own Health and Career Goals
Achieving Healthy Weight and Obesity Prevention for People with Disabilities