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Background: Statistics are critical in holding governments accountable for the well-being of citizens with disability. International initiatives are underway to improve the quality of disability statistics, but meaningful ID data is exceptionally rare. Method: The status of ID data was evaluated in a review of 12 national statistical systems. Recurring data collection by national ministries was identified and the availability of measures of poverty, exclusion, and disadvantage was assessed. Results: A total of 131 recurring systems coordinated by 50 different ministries were identified. The majority included general disability but less than 25% of the systems screened ID. Of these, few provided policy-relevant data. Conclusions: The scope of ID data was dismal at best, though a significant statistical infrastructure exists for the integration of ID data. Advocacy will be necessary. There is no optimal form of data monitoring, and decisions regarding priorities in purpose, targeted audiences, and the goals for surveillance must be resolved. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables, and 1 note.)

The forces shaping intellectual disability policy-making are diverse; while many of the policy issues reviewed in this issue are specific to intellectual disabilities, there are others that transcend disability-specific concerns. Our review is organized around six emerging demographic and socio-cultural trends that may directly and profoundly impact the intellectual disability field: aging, changing labor markets, immigration, families, federalism, and culture. Each of these trends is discussed in terms of their relevance and potential impact on disability policy.

This article presents childhood disability prevalence trends and their interaction with economic status. Estimates derived from National Health Interview Survey data (1983-96) indicate a significant increase in childhood disability rates. Analysis indicates a greater risk in single-parent households and a growing relationship between poverty and risk for disability. (Contains extensive references.) (Author/CR)

Background The imbalance between the sheer size of the developing world and what little is known about the lives and life circumstances of persons with disabilities living there should command our attention. Method International development initiatives routinely give great priority to the collection of statistical indicators yet even the most basic data on intellectual disability is lacking. In response to the recent adoption of the ‘international classification of function’, numerous initiatives are attempting to expand and improve the quality of disability surveillance. Results We argue that these efforts must not lose sight of the core focus and promise of disability statistics – that of advocacy and the elevation of a disability policy agenda. Conclusions To this end, we weave throughout our analysis of the technical features of surveillance, reflections on the meanings we attach to disability statistics and by extension, disability itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]