Statistics of the Month - October Disability as a Diversity Issue By Emily Sugiyama A disabling injury occurs every two seconds. (National Safety Council, Injury Facts 2004 Ed.) Over 6.8 million workers are receiving Social Security Disability benefits, almost half are under age 50. (Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet 2007) The average long-term disability absence lasts 2.5 years. (Commissioner's Individual Disability Table A) Disability causes nearly 50 percent of all mortgage foreclosures, 2 percent are caused by death. (Health Affairs, The Policy Journal of the Health Sphere, 2 February 2005) Over 70 percent of working Americans do not have enough savings to meet short-term emergencies. (National Investment Watch Survey, A.G. Edwards Inc. 2004) Over 90 percent of disabling accidents and illnesses are not work related. (National Safety Council, Injury Facts 2004 Ed.) 70 percent of the private sector workforce has no long-term disability insurance. (Social Security Administration, Fact Sheet 2007) Unexpected illnesses and injuries cause 350,000 personal bankruptcies each year. ("Illness and Injury as Contributors to Bankruptcy," Health Affairs, February 2, 2005) Over 100 million workers do not have private disability income insurance. (Council for Disability Awareness, Long Term Disability Claims Review, 2005) Source: http://www.disabilitycanhappen.org Disclaimer: Although we try to use the most credible sources, we are not responsible for any incorrect findings. Read more: See, "Changing states, disability services in Estonia: Third in a series of articles on culture and disabilities." By Joan Westland and Alar Prost. Check out, "Different—like everyone else: Sixth in a series of articles on people with disabilities." By Prudence Scordino. September statistics - Top Ten Largest Hispanic Populations in the U.S. August statistics - The Jewish Population: Who, what and where - Top Ten Largest National Jewish Populations July statistics - Who's who in the U.S. Prison System? - Statistics on Racial Discrepancies June statistics - Homosexual partnerships in the U.S. May statistics - Business: Where have Asian-Americans positioned themselves? April statistics - What religions do Americans identify with? March statistics - In which industries do women own the most firms? February statistics - Where do African Americans own businesses? January statistics - Hispanic-owned businesses on rise in US December statistics - Do you know America? Where are people of color living? November statistics - Cultural preservation and financial instability: Top concerns for American Indians October statistics - Surprising facts on workers who are disabled September statistics - Hispanic American population, businesses exploding For more on Hispanic Americans, read "Hispanic Legacies in American Culture." August statistics - GLBT Students School Climate Survey July statistics - What do Muslim Americans really think? June statistics - What does marriage cost GLBT? May statistics - Which group of women is the fastest growing in the U.S. labor force? April statistics - People of Color in the Workplace March statistics - Quick Facts on Nontraditional Occupations for Women February statistics - Health of Black or African American Population January statistics - Whites, Latinos and Blacks Life Satisfaction December statistics - Hunger and Poverty around the world November statistics - Native Americans October statistics - Americans with disabilities September statistics - Latin American Women Want more statistics on a variety of topics? Visit our Diversity Statistics page.

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