What Are the Top 10 Disabilities?
According to the latest information published in 2018 by the United States Census Bureau, 27.2% of people had a disability in 2014. Around 17.6% had a severe disability. There are various conditions, and injuries can cause many disabilities.
While there are too many types of disabilities to list, we can provide the top 10 according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Our experts examined the SSA’s Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program from 2018. Below are the largest groups of people with disabilities on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
1. Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue
This group made up 29.7% of all people receiving Social Security disability benefits. The musculoskeletal system includes bones, ligaments, cartilage, and other connective tissues. This system connects your bones and helps you maintain movements. No one can adequately sit, walk, or stand without the skeletal system.
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disorders include:
Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Spine disorders
Scoliosis
Ruptured discs
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Degenerative disc disease
Musculoskeletal system disorders can make it near-impossible to work. Many people are on SSDI for these conditions because of how much they impact everyday life.
2. Mood Disorders
Mood disorders made up 12.9% of those receiving Social Security Disability benefits. Mood disorders can include:
Bipolar disorder
Major depressive disorder
Cyclothymic disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
Depression related to mental illness
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Mood disorders can distort someone’s mood or emotions. They might feel irritability, extreme sadness, or emptiness. Anxiety and depression can significantly impact someone’s ability to work.
3. Nervous System and Sense Organs
The nervous system helps all the body parts communicate. It’s also responsible for decision-making.
The nervous system includes the:
Brain
Spinal cord
Sensory organs
Nerves
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the following are examples of nervous system disorders:
Infections like meningitis and polio
Functional disorders like epilepsy and neuralgia
Degenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease
Structural disorders like Bell’s palsy and brain or spinal cord injuries
Nervous system and sense organ disorders make up 9.7% of those receiving Social Security Disability benefits.
4. Intellectual Disabilities
According to the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disorders (AAIDD), an intellectual disability involves limitations in:
Learning, reasoning, and problem-solving
Adaptive behavior
Intellectual disabilities can make it challenging to learn, retain information, and communicate.
Types of intellectual disabilities include:
Fragile X syndrome
Developmental delays
Down syndrome
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS)
Intellectual disabilities often start before the age of 18. They make up 8.6% of those on Social Security Disability benefits.
5. Circulatory System
The circulatory system brings nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to the body’s cells. It also takes waste products out of the body.
The circulatory system, which is also known as the cardiovascular system, includes:
Arteries that carry blood away from the heart
Veins that carry blood back to the heart.
Common diseases that affect the circulatory system include:
Heart attack
Atherosclerosis
Arrhythmia and dysrhythmia
Heart failure
High cholesterol or high blood pressure
Stroke
Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Circulatory system diseases disrupt this process and make up 7% of those on disability.
6. Schizophrenic and Other Psychotic Disorders
Psychotic disorders make up 4.8% of those on Social Security Disability benefits can include symptoms like:
Hallucinations
Delusions
Catatonic behavior
Disorganized speech
Symptoms can make it difficult to be social, complete activities, and engage in regular work. Delusional disorder, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder are typical examples of psychotic disorders.
7. Other Mental Disorders
Just as there are too many types of disabilities for us to list here, there are too many mental disorders to specify them all. These disorders can include those not already listed. Mental health conditions are just one of the four hidden disabilities. “Other mental disorders” make up 4% of those on disability.
8. Injuries
Physical injuries can often lead to disabilities. SSA data shows that 3.5% of people became disabled because of injuries.
A sudden injury can change someone’s life forever. They might be unable to work as they could before — or unable to work at all. A total disability from injuries can lead someone to apply for SSDI.
9. Organic Mental Disorders
Another name for organic mental disorders is “chronic organic brain syndromes.” These disorders are brain afflictions that cause severe psychological or behavioral issues. They affect 3.3% of those on SSDI.
The problems could be temporary or lifelong. They do not include psychiatric disorders. Diseases, injuries, or defects in the body might cause organic mental disorders. Symptoms include brain function loss, confusion, and memory loss.
Examples of organic mental disorders include:
Dementia
Amnesia
Alzheimer’s disease
Delirium
10. Neoplasms
Finally, the 10th top disability comes from neoplasms. A neoplasm is an abnormal growth that affects 2.8% of those on disability benefits. It forms a tumor or lump in the body.
Cells that divide more quickly than usual can cause a neoplasm. Neoplasms can be benign, pre-cancerous, or cancerous. If the tumor grows uncontrollably, it can spread to other body parts. As it spreads, it can affect organs and become life-threatening.
The main types of neoplasms include:
Fibromas
Adenomas
Lipomas
Hemangiomas