Hall Jean P, Goddard Kelsey S, Ipsen Catherine, Myers Andrew, Kurth Noelle K
Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States.
Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States.
Health Aff Sch. 2024 Aug 21;2(9):qxae106. doi: 10.1093/haschl/qxae106. eCollection 2024 Sep.
The US Census Bureau has used the American Community Survey six-question set (ACS-6) to identify disabled people since 2008. In late 2023, the Census Bureau proposed changes to these questions that would have reduced disability prevalence estimates by 42%. Because these estimates inform funding and programs that support the health and independence of people with disabilities, many disability researchers and advocates feared this change in data collection would lead to reductions in funding and services. While the Census has paused-but not ruled out-the proposed changes, it is critical that alternate, more inclusive disability questions be identified and tested. We used data from the 2023/2024 National Survey on Health and Disability to explore alternative questions to identify disabled people in national surveys. A single broad question about conditions identified 11.2% more people with disabilities, and missed significantly fewer people with psychiatric disabilities compared to the current ACS-6 questions. A combination of a broad question and the existing ACS-6 questions may be necessary to more accurately and inclusively identify people with disabilities.
自2008年以来，美国人口普查局一直使用美国社区调查六问题集（ACS-6）来识别残疾人。2023年末，人口普查局提议对这些问题进行修改，这将使残疾流行率估计数降低42%。由于这些估计数为支持残疾人健康和独立的资金及项目提供依据，许多残疾研究人员和倡导者担心数据收集方面的这一变化会导致资金和服务减少。虽然人口普查已暂停——但并未排除——提议的修改，但确定并测试替代性的、更具包容性的残疾问题至关重要。我们利用2023/2024年全国健康与残疾调查的数据，探索在全国调查中识别残疾人的替代问题。与当前的ACS-6问题相比，一个关于疾病状况的单一宽泛问题识别出的残疾人多11.2%，遗漏的精神残疾者明显更少。可能需要一个宽泛问题与现有的ACS-6问题相结合，才能更准确、更具包容性地识别残疾人。
