The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities defines that ‘persons with disabilities include persons with permanent physical, mental, intellectual and sensory impairments which, in interaction with their environment, could hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others’. This definition requires the availability of statistical data not only on the number and different socio-demographic characteristics of people with disabilities in accordance with national legislation, but also a wider set of data. Therefore, during the census, information was collected on three main characteristics of the health status of the population: self-assessment of health, presence of limitations in daily activities due to a health problem (persons with limitations) and people with disabilities.
Self-assessment of health
As of September 7, 2021, the largest is the number and relative share of persons who self-define their health as good - 2 700 039 (45.7%), followed by very good - 1 558 163 (26.4%), and satisfactory - 1 086 981 (18.4%). 221 988 and 46 819 people, or 3.8 and 0.8%, rate their health as bad and very bad, respectively. The persons who indicated that they could not determine were 77 354 (1.3%). 211 764, or 3.6% of respondents, answered ‘I do not want to answer’.
Self-assessment of health largely depends on the gender and age of individuals. Men are more positive and more often define their health as very good and good (74.8%) compared to women (69.7%). As age increases, the number and correspondingly the share of the population with good or very good health decreases, while the number of persons who rate their health as satisfactory, poor and very poor increases.
Persons with limitations
As of September 7, 2021, 153 242 people, or 2.6% of respondents, had been severely limited in their usual activities due to a health problem in the past six months or more. Limited, but not severely, were 381 805, or 6.5%. 4 795 642 people, or 81.2%, were not limited. 220 500 people, or 3.7%, cannot determine, and 351 919, or 6.0% of the people do not want to answer the question.
People with disabilities
As of September 7, 2021, 654 547 persons have recognized permanently reduced working capacity or degree of disability. Of these, 22 248 are children, and 632 299 are persons aged 16 and over. The intensity indicators are respectively 27 per 1 000 children and 124 per 1 000 people aged 16 and over.
The distribution of children by degree of disability shows that the most numerous is the group of those with 50 to 70% type and degree of disability - 8 984, or 40.4% of children with disabilities. The group from 71 to 90% follows - 5 931 children, or 26.7%. With the most severe disabilities - over 90%, there are 4 992 children, or 22.4%, and the smallest group of children with up to 50% type and degree of disability - 2 341, or 10.5%.
Among persons aged 16 and over in the structure by degree of permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability, the largest number and, accordingly, the relative share of persons in the group from 71 to 90% - 225 342, or 35.6% of persons with disabilities for which information is available on this matter. Next comes the group from 50 to 70%, in which 218 038 persons, or 34.5%, apply. The group with the most severe disabilities - over 90%, includes 135 137 persons aged 16 and over, or 21.4% of persons with disabilities in this age group. The share of persons with up to 50% permanently reduced working capacity/type and degree of disability is the smallest - 53 782, or 8.5%.
