What Is a Disabled Person? Why, When, and to Whom Does It Matter?

• In Event: Disability Representation and Policy Views

Abstract

In this paper I describe some possible answers and some of the ways that institutions and individuals classify "disability" and related terms such as frailty, functioning, and life years.

1. The United States
A. Bureau of the Census and the American Community Survey
B. Social Security Administration
C. Other federal agencies, cabinet departments
D. States, especially before 2009 when 2008 ADAAA became effective
(i) California, an outlier
(ii) Other US states

2. Global Measures
A. World Health Organization
(i) International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps (ICIDH)
(ii) International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF)
(iii) Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), and Healthy Life Years (HLYs)
B. World Bank and others
C. Declaration->Standard Rules->Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

3.Other Countries, regions, civil society bodies
A. United Kingdom
B. Europe: European Union, Council of Europe
C. Civil society measures such as the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)
D. Others

4. Implications, Conclusions
A. Effects of changing technology
B. Effects of social change
C. Very "political"--that is desirable and inescapable
D. Accommodation, Accessibility, What Gets Counted and How

Author

• Arthur Blaser, Chapman University