Current Statistics On Disability In Canada
In 2017, Canadian Survey on Disability found that more than one in every five (22% or 6.2 million people) of Canadians aged 15 years and above had one or more disability. In other words, if people with disability were to form their own province, they would be very close to the size of Quebec Province, the second largest province in Canada.
Though one in every ten (13%) Canadian youth (i.e. 15-24 years) lives with a disability. The most prevalent form of disability among the youth is mental health disability, which accounts for 6 in every 10 (i.e. 60%) of disability among Canadian youths.
Overall, the prevalence of disability tends to increase with age. Compared to 13% of Canadian youths who report at least one disability, 20% of working age adults (i.e. 25-64 years) and 38% of seniors (65 years and above) reported at least one disability.
Of the diverse types of disability that exist, which types are most prevalent across the Canadian population? As show in the chart below, pain, mobility and flexibility and mental health-related at the four most common types of disability among Canadians, affecting 15%, 10%, 10% and 7% of Canadians respectively.
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