The prevalence and severity of major disabling conditions--a reappraisal of the government social survey on the handicapped and impaired in Great Britain.

This paper re-examines the data gathered for the Government Social Survey on the Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain. The underlying cause of disablement is considered in conjunction with severity and prevalence. When these are taken together a picture emerges in which stroke, arthritis, and circulatory disorders are the most frequent cause of severe disability in the community. An attempt is also made to examine the way in which the survey might be biased by the non-inclusion of those in institutions.