APPENDIX 1 - DISABILITY GROUPS
DISABILITY GROUPS
1 Disabilities can be broadly grouped depending on whether they relate to functioning of the mind or the senses, or to anatomy or physiology. Each disability group may refer to a single disability or be composed of a number of broadly similar disabilities. The SDAC module relating to disability groups was designed to identify four separate groups based on the particular type of disability identified.
2 These groups are:
- Sensory
- Loss of sight (not corrected by glasses or contact lenses)
- Loss of hearing where communication is restricted, or an aid used
- Speech difficulties, including loss.
- Intellectual
- Difficulty learning or understanding things
- Physical
- Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties that restrict everyday activities
- Blackouts, fits or loss of consciousness
- Chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort that restricts everyday activities
- Incomplete use of arms or fingers
- Difficulty gripping or holding things
- Incomplete use of feet or legs
- Restriction in physical activities or in doing physical work
- Disfigurement or deformity.
- Psychological
- Nervous or emotional condition that restricts everyday activities
- Mental illness or condition requiring help or supervision
- Head injury, stroke or other brain damage, with long-term effects that restrict everyday activities.
3 The following categories were not included in any of the four groups above but were included in the total:
- Receiving treatment or medication for any other long-term conditions or ailments and still restricted in everyday activities
- Any other long-term conditions resulting in a restriction in everyday activities.
4 In the disability groups module people could be counted more than once if they had multiple disabilities which belonged to more than one disability group. For example, a person with a hearing loss and speech difficulties would be counted once in the sensory disability group. However, a person with a hearing loss and a physical deformity would be counted once in the sensory disability group and once in the physical disability group. As a result, the sum of the components of data from the disability groups module does not add to the total persons with disabilities.
5 Disabilities which resulted from head injury, stroke or other brain damage were classified to the appropriate group. For example, a person reporting speech loss as a result of stroke would be classified to the sensory disability group. However, a person who reported having had a head injury, stroke or other brain damage was also classified to a separate disability category of this name.
6 Data are not included in this publication by disability group, however this information is provided to assist users to understand data from other products from the SDAC.
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