Society · Facts & sources
4 sourced facts about disability, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answerabout 16% (1 in 6 people)
The World Health Organization estimates that around 1.3 billion people worldwide, or 1 in 6, live with a significant disability.
Source: World Health Organization (2023) who.int
Answerabout 38.1%
The employment ratio is much higher for working-age adults with disabilities than for the group overall, which includes retirees.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) bls.gov
Answer30% vs 17%
Workers with disabilities are considerably more likely to work part-time than workers without disabilities.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) bls.gov
Answerabout double the risk
People with disabilities face roughly twice the risk of conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke and obesity.
Source: World Health Organization (2023) who.int