1. Mainstreaming Disability Data Collection and Reporting:
Transitioning from data collection to data analysis and data presentation
Jennifer H Madans/Mitchell Loeb
National Center for Health Statistics, USA and
Washington Group on Disability Statistics
5/28/2018

2. WG Data Collection Tools:
Short set on functioning: adopted in 2006
measures difficulty functioning in 6 universal, basic activities
Extended set on functioning for adults: adopted 2010
WG/UNICEF Module on Child Functioning: adopted in 2016
WG/UNICEF Module on Inclusive Education: in testing
WG/ILO Disability module for inclusion on labor force surveys: in testing
Module on Mental Health: under development
Modules on environment & participation: under development
5/28/2018

3. The Washington Group Short Set…
has been used in censuses or surveys in over 78 countries
has been promoted by international aid programs, (DFID/UK and DFAT/Australia), as the means to collect disability data in all programs and projects,
has been introduced as the means for collecting disability data by the UN Statistical Division (UNSD) and the UN Economic Commission for Europe for the 2020 round of censuses.
5/28/2018

4. Workshops and Expert Consultations:
Nairobi, Kenya
06/2005
Mumbai, India*
09/2012
Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
12/2006
Belmonpan, Belize*
01/2013
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
02/2008
Amman, Jordan
05/2013
Bangkok, Thailand
04/2008
Podgorica, Montenegro*
07/2013
Ohrid, Macedonia
11/2008
Apia, Samoa*
06/2014
Dhaka, Bangladesh
08/2009
Hammamet, Tunisia*
02/2015
Muscat, Oman
10/2010
04/2013
Geneva, Switzerland*
07/2015
Damascus, Syria
12/2010
NY, New York*
06/2016
Sharjah, UAE
05/2011
Nadi, Fiji
07/2016
Bogotá, Colombia
07/2012
08/2013
Westchester, NY*
10/2016
5/28/2018
*in collaboration with UNICEF

5. Planned workshops: UNSD: regional ‘stock-taking’ workshops
UNICEF: regional workshops on the measurement of disability
WG: regional implementation workshops
Pacific (Fiji) – 2016
Middle East – early 2017
Caribbean – spring 2017
Asia or Africa – fall 2017
Open meeting – place and date to be determined
5/28/2018

6. Selected joint activities:
Handicap International: initiatives in the Andean region, east Africa, in emergency response situations; and training (development of e-learning modules)
US AID: development of a disability module to include the WG Short Set in the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)
UNICEF: deployment of the Module on Child Functioning in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)
5/28/2018

7. Selected joint activities:
ITU: participation at the 4th Meeting of the Expert Group on ICT Household Indicators 7th Meeting of the ITU Expert Group on Telecommunication/ICT Indicators
Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network: to provide support and coordination in enhancing the inclusion of persons with disabilities in international development and humanitarian action.
5/28/2018

8. Volume on the history and accomplishments of the WG:
International Measurement of Disability:
Purpose, Method and Application
The Work of the Washington Group
B. M. Altman (Editor)
Springer (Publisher)
Publication: June, 2016
5/28/2018

9. Disaggregation requirements
Need a straightforward and simple way to identify persons with disabilities: the WG questions identify those at greater risk than the general population for limitations in participation.
Need indicator/outcome data (education, employment, income, ‎health care access) from data collections (census/surveys) that also include the above disability identifier.
5/28/2018

10. Disaggregation in US NHIS data
NHIS 2013: years of age
Weighted %
Disability status:
WG Short set: Cut-off is at least a lot of difficulty in at least 1 domain
Without
disability
With
Disability
Employment Status Last Week=Working
73.4
29.1
Current every day smoker
14.5
27.8
Covered by health insurance? (Yes)
79.5
81.0
5/28/2018

11. Reporting data on disability during the transitions to new data collection methods
Currently available data have been collected using different approaches and different data collection tools and are, therefore, not comparable cross-nationally
Reporting of estimates that are not comparable reduces confidence in the data
Should we only report comparable data or find a way to clearly report data that are not comparable?
5/28/2018

12. Option for reporting disaggregated data that maximizes comparability and transparency
Table 1: Results from Censuses/Surveys
Disaggregation variable
Employment Status:
% working
Determination of disability:
# of questions
Response options:
Cut-off in bold
Country
Year
With disability
Without disability 
Type of Disability/Impairment 4
Yes/No
Morocco
2004 5
Cambodia
2008 2
Hungary
2011
Activity limitation 3
Panama
2010
Malawi 9
No difficulty
Some difficulty
A lot of difficulty
Completely unable
Poland
2009
Washington Group (modified) 6
Philippines 7
Mexico
Washington Group (as intended)
Yes, some difficulty
Yes, a lot of difficulty
Cannot do it at all
Turkey
5/28/2018

13. For more information about the WG visit our new website: http://www
For more information about the WG visit our new website: Questions:
5/28/2018