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
Answerup to 20 years earlier
The WHO links this gap to unequal access to health care and higher rates of chronic conditions among people with disabilities.
Source: World Health Organization (2023) who.int
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