Weekly
July 31, 2015 / 64(29);777
July 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the passage of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990,
by President George H.W. Bush. ADA prohibits discrimination against
persons with disabilities in all areas of their everyday lives, such as
work, school, transportation, communication, recreation, and access to
state and local government services. When first enacted, ADA defined a
disability as a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits
one or more of the major life activities."(1)
During the last 2 decades, multiple national surveys measured
disability in various ways because of substantial differences in the
conceptualization and definition of disability. More recently, several
national health surveys incorporated a recommended standard set of
questions assessing functional types of disability.
In recognition of ADA's milestone anniversary, this issue of MMWR
includes a report using the first data available on functional types of
disability in a state-based health survey. It includes prevalence of
functional disability using a standard set of disability questions
rather than measuring disability in a nonspecific manner. This report
presents the percentage of adults with any disability and with specific
types of disabilities by state and key demographic characteristics
(e.g., sex, age, race/ethnicity).
For more information on disability research and surveillance and
state and national disability programs and resources, access the CDC's
Disability and Health Branch, available at http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/.
Reference
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-336, 104
Stat. 328 (July 26, 1990) [amended January 1, 2009]. Available at http://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm
.
Labels: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)