Click here to return to the Section 2 index
How do activity limitations differ by family income?
There is a clear link between activity limitation and family income. Income loss often occurs as a result of disability. An estimated 6.5 million of the 23.3 million people who are members of low-income families (less than $10,000 income annually) have activity limitations (28.0%). An estimated 1.6 million of these low-income family members are limited in nonmajor activity (6.9% of low-income family members), another 2.3 million are limited in amount or kind of major activity (9.9%), and 2.6 million are unable to carry out their major activity (11.2%). On the contrary, only 9.4 million people (9.4%) of members of families with an annual income of $35,000 or more have activity limitations; 3.6 million (3.6%) are limited in a nonmajor activity, 3.9 million (3.9%) are limited in amount or kind of major activity, and only 1.9 million (1.9%) are unable to carry out their major activity.
Technical Note: Incomes are in 1994 dollars.
Activity limitations decrease steadily with increasing family incomes.
Graphic: Stacked column chart.
Source: NCHS, 1995
Survey: NHIS, 1994