New Technical Report Available: The Prevalence of Disabilities in the Knoxville Region

Since the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, the legal rights of persons with disabilities have been protected. But even 13 years later, many people living with disabilities find that barriers to social integration and economic self-sufficiency still exist.

MPC research staff have recently published a new Technical Report, The Prevalence of Disabilities in the Knoxville Region, that examines how people with disabilities fare in our region as compared to the state and nation. Gender, race, age, income, poverty levels, employment, and labor force participation are among the data reported for Knox and surrounding counties.

In terms of general demographics, the study finds that persons with disabilities in the Knoxville metropolitan area report similar characteristics as Tennessee and the nation: disabilities are more likely to occur as one ages?half of all people 75 years or older live with a disability, and women are more likely to have a disability than men, due in part to longer life expectancy. And disabilities don't discriminate. Rates of disability are the same, about 13 percent, among both White and African American populations across the region.

When it comes to opportunities for people with disabilities, the data from the Knoxville region are less positive than those for the nation as a whole. Participation in the labor force for the disabled population is lower in Knox and several surrounding counties, the unemployment rate is higher, and earnings are lower. When combined, those factors result in 28 percent of people with disabilities in this region living in poverty. The national poverty rate for people with disabilities is under 22 percent.

Individuals with a disability represent a sizeable share of our region's population. In the coming years, as the population grows in both number and age, prevalence of disabilities will increase too. Numerous groups and organizations work locally to bring more social and economic opportunity to persons with disabilities. The Knox County Community Action Committee and the East Tennessee Human Resources Agency are two examples that help persons with disabilities in this region. Support of their efforts?and the efforts of many other groups like them?will become even more important as this population grows.

Read the report: The Prevalence of Disabilities in the Knoxville Region >>

Posted 05-15-2013. Written by Sarah Powell.