Both physical and learning disabilities may be more common than many people realise. Yet despite its commonality – not just within Malaysia but around the world – there are millions of us that remain unaware about the risks, challenges and other facts surrounding disability.
In a bid to make this topic become more common knowledge, here are some key nuggets of information about disability:
1 Out Of 6 People Have A Disability
As of 2024, the world population stands at roughly 8.1 billion people. Within our massive global population, 1.3 billion of us have a disability in some form or another, which equates to 1 out of 6 people.
In Malaysia specifically, the statistics are surprisingly different. Only 1.6% of Malaysians, or approximately 537,000 people, are known to have a disability.
This, at first glance, may explain why so many of us are unaware of the subconscious prejudices we have toward those with disabilities. After all, it’s far easier to have misunderstandings toward someone or something if we hardly interact with them.
Yet, one could argue that it isn’t the lack of people with disabilities (PWDs) in Malaysia that lead to prejudice, but rather prejudice itself that results in the low percentage of documented PWDs.
To elaborate, it is estimated that the true number of Malaysians with disabilities are significantly higher than recorded, but perhaps due to the stigma associated with it, many Malaysians deny the presence of their disability altogether.
PWDs Are Two Times More Likely To Have Poor Health
According to the World Health Organization, the risk of suffering from health conditions such as strokes, poor oral health, diabetes and depression is roughly double compared to abled individuals.
By extension, the presence of disability can also negatively impact lifespan. For people with certain disabilities, their average life expectancy is up to 20 years fewer than those without disabilities.
One might assume that it’s the physical impact of a disability that leads to poorer health and life expectancy, but that isn’t necessarily true.
Many PWDs suffer from health inequity. This doesn’t just mean that their health tends to be poorer, but also that their accessibility to health resources is lower.
The reason behind this can stem largely from social factors, such as exclusion from employment, poverty and the aforementioned prejudice toward PWDs.
The Majority Of Disabilities Are “Made”, Not Born
Some sources claim that 9 out of 10 disabilities are caused by illness, many of which occur much later in life. Other studies conclude that only 1% to 3% of babies are born with a birth defect or disability.
While many disabilities can be genetically inherited, particularly learning disabilities, the vast majority of disabilities occur due to other factors, such as accidents, lifestyle and wrongful use of self-prescribed medication.
The key takeaway here is that anyone can suffer from temporary or permanent disability, even if they were originally abled individuals.
These facts are not meant to instill worry, but rather to highlight the harmful effects of contributing to the stigma and prejudices suffered by PWDs.
Disability is an integral aspect of life in some form or another, and removing our own prejudices will go a long way to foster a more inclusive environment.
References
World Health Organization (2023) Disability [Accessed 20 April 2024] Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health
Corey Janoff (2024) 14 Facts about Disability [Accessed 20 April 2024] Available at: https://www.thefinitygroup.com/blog/14-facts-about-disability/
Lise Wagner (2021) Disabled People in the World: Facts and Figures [Accessed 19 April 2024] Available at: https://www.inclusivecitymaker.com/disabled-people-in-the-world-in-2021-facts-and-figures/
United Nations (2024) Factsheet on Persons with Disabilities [Accessed 21 April 2024] Available at: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html