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How do functional limitations differ by income?
People over age 15 with functional limitations tend to be members of lower income households. Almost one out of five persons (19.8%) over age 15 with functional limitations have adjusted incomes of less than the poverty threshold (translating to over 6.8 million people), while only 12.2% of people with no functional limitations receive less than the poverty threshold amount. On the other hand, 34.1% of people with no functional limitations have monthly household incomes of more than four times the poverty threshold, but only 18.4% of people with limitations receive that amount. Note, however, that older people, who have higher rates of limitations, have lower incomes, explaining some of the relationship of income and limitations.
Technical Note: Income information was collected in the last three months of 1991 and the first month of 1992. The poverty threshold for a family of four in 1991, which is when most of this data was collected, was $13,924. In 1992, the poverty threshold for a family of four was $14,335.
People with lower incomes report higher levels of functional limitations.
Graphic: Bar chart.
Source: McNeil, 1993
Survey: SIPP, 1992