The State of Mobility Disabilities in the U.S.

There are over 61 million people with disabilities in the United States of America. Mobility disability accounts for over 13.7% of all disabilities in the country.

Mobility disabilities is an umbrella term that includes any disability that impacts a person’s ability to move or maintain their balance. These physical impairments include arthritis, paralysis, amputation, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury. People with mobility disabilities such as these may experience difficulty walking, standing, or performing other basic physical activities. Those who find it hard to get around may require the use of mobility aids such as walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, or canes, while others may require daily living aids such as dressing aids, eating aids, and grabber tools.

Key Findings

Age

People above age 45 are highly likely to have mobility disabilities. This is followed by people who are above 65 years of age. The number of cases between ages 18-64 is observed to be in decline. This is in contrast to ages above 65, where the number of cases is increasing each year with a slight dip in 2020.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults aged 45 and over are at an increased risk of experiencing a disability. The CDC’s Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) reported that in the United States, over one–third of adults aged 45 and older have a mobility disability. This is due to a variety of factors, including age–related changes, chronic conditions, and other factors that can increase risk of disability. Meanwhile, the US Census reported that over 50% of adults aged 65 and over have a mobility disability. These rates are likely due to the increased age–related changes and chronic conditions that come with aging. This data suggests that adults aged 45 and over are almost as likely to have a mobility disability as adults aged 65 and over, which is an important reminder that adults of all ages can be at risk for disability.

Gender

Females are more likely to have mobility disorders than males. Nearly 60% of all people with mobility disabilities are females.

There are a few different factors that could explain why more women have mobility disabilities than men. One possible explanation is that women typically live longer than men, and age is a risk factor for developing mobility issues. As people get older, they are more likely to experience age–related conditions like arthritis, which can make it difficult to move around. Other health conditions, such as diabetes and osteoporosis, can also affect mobility, and women are more likely to suffer from these conditions than men. Finally, women are more likely to be exposed to certain environmental factors associated with mobility disabilities, such as work–related hazards or polluted air.

Income

It is observed that 76% of all the people with mobility disabilities have low yearly income. We’ve taken income below $50,000 as low income and income above $50,000 as high income. This is in line with the poverty guidelines set by the government.

Based on the data, it is difficult to determine whether people with a low income are more likely to become disabled due to poverty or if people who are disabled are more likely to have a lower income due to their disability. The DHDS states that people with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty and are at a higher risk of unmet health needs, which could contribute to the higher rate of people with mobility disabilities who are low–income. Meanwhile, the U.S. Census Bureau data show that people who are low–income are more likely to experience disability due to limited access to medical care and nutrition, as well as environmental and social factors. Both poverty and disability can have a significant impact on a person‘s ability to work, and it is possible that both factors could contribute to the data we are seeing.

Geographic Area

We further found that people residing in rural areas are highly likely to get affected by mobility disabilities. More specifically, HHS Regions 4 and 5 mainly have populations living in rural areas, whereas Regions 6 and 9 have more urban populations. Rural areas tend to have more people with mobility disorders compared to urban areas. Stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cases of falls are high in rural areas.

According to CDC, mobility disability is one of the most common types of disability among adults in the United States. People living in rural areas may be at a higher risk of developing mobility disabilities due to a variety of factors, including a lack of access to healthcare, limited access to transportation, and a higher prevalence of poverty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2017, the poverty rate for people living in rural areas was 16.7%, compared to 12.3% for people living in urban areas. This suggests that those living in rural areas may be more likely to experience financial hardship, which can limit access to health care and resources that may help prevent or reduce the risk of mobility disabilities. Additionally, rural areas often lack public transportation, making it difficult for people to access the necessary healthcare services they need to prevent or manage mobility disabilities.

Veterans

Of all the people with mobility disabilities in the U.S., 13.9% of them are veterans.

Upon exploration, we found that contrary to popular belief, veterans are not highly likely to have mobility disabilities. This can be seen in the side-by-side charts showing the amount of disabled vs. non-disabled people among the general population compared to that of the veteran population. It is obvious at first glance that the numbers are almost identical, proving that veterans are not significantly more likely than any other U.S. citizens to have mobility disabilities.

Cancer

It was interesting to note that people who had cancer or had done checkups for cancer have been observed to have a higher chance of getting affected by mobility disability. Around 15% of all the people who have mobility disabilities had cancer at least once in their lifetime. This means 3 in 20 with a mobility disability is likely to have cancer or had cancer in the past. Mobility disability in those cases may be related to cancer treatment.

People with cancer can be at risk for mobility disability due to the physical and psychological effects of the disease, treatments, and medications, as well as other factors. Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau states that people with disabilities, including mobility disabilities, are more likely to have chronic conditions such as cancer. However, it is important to note that neither mobility disability nor cancer directly causes the other and that there are likely multiple factors that contribute to both mobility disability and cancer.

States

The mobility disability population is high in southern states such as Texas and Florida. California has the most mobility disability cases, making up over 9% of all cases in the U.S., followed by Texas with almost 8% and Florida with over 7.5%. Places with a lot of rural areas also have a lot of mobility disability cases. Washington D.C. has 0.16% of all mobility disability cases, slightly more than Alaska.

Trend

As we look into the changes that took place over a span of 5 years, we find that there is a significant decrease in the number of mobility disability cases from 2016 to 2020.

Additionally, the number of adults over 45 who have had falls was the lowest in 2020.

38 states showed a decrease in the number of mobility disability cases. 10 states showed a significant decrease from 15% to nearly 30% decrease. Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia showed a huge decrease in the number of mobility disability cases, having a more than 22% decrease per state. Most states in the country have shown a significant decrease in mobility disability cases having more than a 10% decrease.

On the other hand, 12 states showed an increase in the number of cases. Idaho showed a huge increase in the number of disability cases – a nearly 17% increase from 2016. Idaho is followed by Nevada with an 11.35% increase and Utah with a 10.22% increase.

The decrease in mobility disability cases in 2020 is likely due to the COVID–19 pandemic. Many people were forced to stay home and avoid going out, which reduced their chances of becoming injured or developing a mobility disability. Additionally, people may have been less likely to seek medical care due to fears of contracting the virus in medical settings. Finally, the economic downturn caused by the pandemic likely led to decreased access to medical care, meaning that people who may have been able to get a diagnosis or treatment for a mobility disability in a different economic climate may not have been able to do so in 2020.

Conclusion

Understanding the risk factors and prevalence of mobility disabilities is essential for preventing and treating them, and for ensuring that those with mobility disabilities have the resources they need to lead healthy, independent lives. Our findings show that mobility disabilities are more common among those over 45 years of age, women, people with low incomes, and those living in rural areas. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of understanding and addressing the needs of this vulnerable population.

Methodology

We collected data from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct this study on the state of mobility disorders in the USA. Data ranging from 2016 to 2020 was taken for this study.