Global Measures of Disability: Statistics Canada’s experience so far... Renée Langlois Survey Manager, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, Statistics Canada

Outline n New strategy in Statistics Canada to measure disability n Objectives of global indicators n Desired criteria of disability indicator n Development process used in STC n Selected indicator n Relationship to ICF n Next steps

2001 Strategy n 1986 and 1991: filter questions on census n post-censal disability surveys used a sample of false-negative respondents n for 2001 and beyond: –use improved filter questions –use common disability indicators in all surveys

Objectives of global indicators n Describe: to provide broad information on a specific characteristic in the population n Screen (or filter): to identify the population of interest for a follow-up survey

Desired Criteria of Disability Indicator n Reference to long-term conditions n Applicability to entire population n Brevity n Clarity of language n Intuitiveness to respondents n Inclusiveness (all severity levels)

Global Disability Indicator: development process n Two-phase research project: –Qualitative testing –Quantitative testing

Qualitative Research n linguistic analysis of “old” filter questions n development of alternatives n testing “old” against “new” questions in terms of correlation with 1991 HALS screening questions

Results of Qualitative Research n Main causes of non-reporting : n negative vocabulary: –long-term –disabilities –handicaps –“is this person limited” n restrictive answer categories

Quantitative Evaluation n 1998 National Census Test: –approximately 35,000 households n PALS 2001 pilot test, fall 2000: –14,000 individuals n PALS 2001, fall 2001: –43,000 individuals (adults, children)

Selected indicator 1. Does this person have any difficulty hearing, seeing, communicating, walking, climbing stairs, bending, learning or doing any similar activities? n Answer categories: –Yes, sometimes –Yes, often –No

Selected indicator (cont’d) 2. Does a physical condition or mental condition or health problem reduce the amount or the kind of activity this person can do: –At home? –At work or at school? –In other activities, for example, transportation or leisure?

Selected indicator (end) n Answer categories: –Yes, sometimes –Yes, often –No

Relationship to ICF n focus on activity limitation and participation restriction n “difficulty”: covers quality, quantity, time and assistance required n assistance: confounding issue n environment: multiple-item response scale n applicability to children: more research

Next Steps n Upcoming sources of analysis: n 2001 census: 6,000,000 records n 2001 PALS: 43,000 records n 2000 Canadian Community Health Survey: 130,000 records n Aboriginal Peoples Survey: 120,000 records

Next Steps (end) n Research on possible effect of data collection mode n Research on applicability to children