Disability Statistics in Egypt By Dr. Bothaina EL- Deeb

Disability Statistics in Egypt

ByDr. Bothaina EL- Deeb

Sources of data on disability in Egypt and its limitation

Sources :1. Censuses 2. Sample Surveys Population censuses: Egypt has a national census every 10 years since 1907 containing data on disability. The results of 1947, 1960, 1976 and 1996 censuses included data on disability. The census provides data about the categories of disabled persons, classified according to type, age, sex distribution. Education, work status and occupational status are also available for disabled persons

Table 1: Disable Persons and Prevalence per 100 Population by Sex, Egypt in 1947, 1960, 1976 and 1996

Year Number of disable persons Disable persons prevalence per 100 population

Males Females Total Males Females Total

1947 116621 83828 200449 1.44 1.01 1.22

1960 143073 113126 256199 1.09 0.88 0.99

1976 82905 28419 111324 0.44 016 0.30

1996 183391 101484 284875 0.60 0.35 0.48

Reasons for the inaccuracy of the results concerning the disability could be as follows:

A- Prevailing customs and traditions, whereby some families are unable for various social reasons to admit cases of disability, particularly when the disabled persons are females

B- The low educational levels of some families, which makes them unlike to admit that there are any disabled persons in the family

C- The failure of the media to explain disability and the services provided to disable persons by the community. As a result, the family has no wish to report the existence of disable persons because it thinks that to do so is neither important nor useful

D- A lack of awareness on the part of some of those responsible for the collection of data with respect to the importance of accurate information on the situation, characteristics, abilities and requirements of disabled persons in the community. They, therefore, fail to obtain correct data in this field

E- The fact that the general population census questionnaire does not include categories of disability, which, if include, might affect the number of disabled persons. These categories include psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, learning disabilities, certain chronic diseases, etc.;

F- The unclear definitions and explanations relating to the categories of disability covered by the questionnaire.

Table 2: Percent distribution of Disabled Persons by Type of Disability in 1996

Type M F T

1-Blind 10.7 11.1 10.8

2-Lose of one eye 1.8 1.3 1.6

3-Deaf-dumb 3.1 3.5 3.2

4-Deaf 1.6 1.9 1.7

5-Dumb 3.9 4.6 4.2

6- Lose of one or both arms 2.1 0.6 1.6

7-Lose of one or both legs 4.1 1.4 3.2

8- Mental Retardation 17.5 15.3 16.7

9-Poliomyelitis 12.8 12.1 12.5

10-Paralysis total or partial 19.4 17.6 18.7

11-Other disabilities 23.1 30.6 25.8

Total 100 100 100

Other Sources of Disability in Egypt

Table 3: percent distribution of disabled persons by type of disability, and type- specific prevalence rates per 100,000 persons, according to sex, Egypt MCHS 1991

Type of impairmentPercent distribution of

disabled persons by type of impairment

Prevalence rate per 100,000 population

Males Females Males Females

All 27.6 34.7 451 392

Sensory Visual 16.9 21.8 276 246

Hearing/Speech 10.7 12.9 174 146

All 31.3 26.8 510 303

Physical Upper Limb 4.1 2.8 66 32

Lower limb 7.1 4.1 115 46

Paralysis 20.1 19.9 329 225

Mental 10.1 9.5 164 107

Other 31.0 29.0 507 328

Total 100.0 100.0 1632 1130

Disability Statistics in the ESCWA Region

Bahrain 1995 1.5

Bahrain 1991 0.8

Bahrain 1981 1.0

Egypt 1996 0.5

Egypt 1991 1.6

Egypt 1976 0.3

Gaza Strip 1996 2.1

Iraq 1977 0.9

Jordan 1994 1.2

Jordan 1991 2.6

Kuwait 1996 1.1

Kebebib 1994 1.0

Oman 1995 2.4

Oman 1993 1.9

Palestine 1997 1.8



Qatar 1998 1.0

Qatar 1996 0.2

Saudi Arabia 1996 1.6

Syrian Arab Rep. 1993 0.8



United Arab Emirates 1995 1.1

Yemen 1994 0.5

Disability Statistics in the Caribbean Region

Aruba 1991 5.5

Bahamas 1990 1.5

Belize 1991 6.6

Bermuda 1991 7.6

Jamaica 1991 4.8

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1991 7.2

Disability Statistics in Selected Developed Countries

Australia 1998 19.3

Canada 1991 15.5

New Zealand 1996 20.0

United Kingdom 1991 12.2

United States 1994 15.0

United States 1990 10.0

Meeting on a Core Set of Census Questions and Disability

Measurement for ESCWA countries

Cairo, 1-12 June 2002

Objectives of the meetingDisability Measurement

- To agree on a regional common approach to collect disability data on censuses

- To initiate a dialogue in the region between census managers and users of disability statistics on how best a census can be utilized to collect data on persons with disabilities

- To introduce countries to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and discuss its use as conceptual framework for collecting census data on disability

- To introduce the countries of the region to the work of the Washington City Group on Disability Statistics

Recommendations of the Cairo Meeting (1-5) June 2002 on disability statistics

In order to have more accurate data on disability we need:

Interviewer Training for:

• Improve reporting on disability status

• Minimize non-response

• Minimize stereotyping

• Improve quality of data collected

• Training in probing techniques

Sensitivity Training about: How to ask questions on disability

• How to cope with listening to people talk about their disability

• Attitude in dealing with persons with disabilities-no prejudice

Issues to be Considered by Interviewers

• Establishing trust is vital for quality responses

• Be sensitive to the language you use

• Treat persons with disabilities as you would treat anyone else

• Language (Use of negative and derogatory terms)

• Do not make assumptions about a person’s disability

• Do not make assumptions about the person based on their observed disability That they can not answer questions because of the disability

Questions recommended to be used in the ESCWA Countries

Question design

• The question should be phrased in the context of health

• The question should relate to each person and not to the household in general

• The question should include a reference to a duration (long-term disability)

• The wording of the question should relate to the Activities/participation outcome

Conclusions: Census Question

Question design

• The wording of the question should include simple language and should avoid the use of negative terms

• The term disability should be avoided in the formulation of the question and in the conversation between the interviewer and the respondent

• The “filter” question should be very simple and short

• Multiscale response categories should be considered


In the context of an health condition that lasts for 6 months or more, does… have any difficulty in performing usual activities?

yes often yes

sometimes no

In which area does… have this difficulty? (all that apply)

• Hearing Speaking

• Seeing Learning Moving around Self-care

Other…


What is the main cause of difficulty?

• Congenital/prenatal

• Diseases/illness

• Injury/accidents/trauma

• Aging

• Other


Thank you and Happy New YearThank you and Happy New YearThank you and Happy New YearThank you and Happy New Year

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Disability Statistics in Egypt By Dr. Bothaina EL- Deeb