As ADA turns 34, 1 in 4 adults live with disability

By Sara Chernikoff
USA Today

..... Friday [[07/26/2024] marked 34 years since President George H.W. Brush singed the Americans with Disabilities Act guaranteeing equal protection for people with disabilities.
..... Modeled after the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the ADA provides equal access to government services, schools , buildings, private employers and commercial facilities. But some activists say the law doesn't go far enough to protect those living with disabilities.
..... "One in four adults in the U.S. report having a disability," according to the latest data from the U.S. centers for Disease Control and Prevention. that's over 70 million Americans.
..... "It's important to remember disability is not a health outcome," the DCD said in a recent news release. "It is part of the way people experience life, such as hearing, seeing, moving, processing information, and caring for oneself."
..... Here's what the latest data shows about American with disabilities.

1 in 4 adults has a disability

..... A disability is defined as a physical condition or mental impairment that increases the difficulty for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them, according to the CDC. There are several types of disabilities that could affect a person's vision, movement, memory, learning, communication, hearing, mental health or social relationships.

Who is living with a disability?

..... The most recent data shows hat adults 65 and older had a higher disability prevalence compared to younger generations, with 43.9% of the older age group reporting being disabled.
..... People identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native and those identifying as multiracial or "other" had the highest prevalence of disabilities among all races and ethnicities.

Challenges

..... Americans living with disabilities face barriers to health care access. The CDC found that one in four disabled adults ages 18 to 44 do not have a usual healthcare provider.
..... Nearly 17% of adults with disabilities ages 45 to 64 reported that they did not have a routine check-up in the past year.

Legacy of the ADA

..... The ADA guarantee people equal access to public spaces such as school buildings, restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, health facilities and stores. Building design has changed over the decades since the passage of the act to incorporation ramps, wider doorways and elevators.
..... Michael Ashley Stein, co-founder and executive director of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability, previously told USA Today that the nation is in a much better place compared to 1990 when the ADA was passed.
..... While the ADA has made a significant difference in brining accessibility to those with disabilities, it hasn't removed all prejudice against people with disabilities.

..... Contribution: Karen Weintraub and Jayne O'Donnell, USA Today.