FAQs

The DDI is a network of researchers who span across many fields and regions of the world. Researchers are trained in economics, statistics, medicine, public health, rehabilitation, disability studies and ethics. Researchers are based in Europe (Switzerland), Latin America(Colombia), North America (USA), South Asia (India) and Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Rwanda,South Africa).

The DDI conducts data analysis and research on disability inequalities, prevalence, correlates, and determinants.

The DDI has developed two databases: the Disability – Questionnaire Review (DS-QR),and the Disability Statistics – Estimates (DS-E).

The DDI maps internationally comparable data for the Disability Statistics – Questionnaire Review (DS-QR) database. It reviews datasets and their disability questions globally, across world regions and over time.

For the Disability Statistics – Estimates (DS-E) database, the DDI produces prevalence and disability-disaggregated indicators. This means it creates sub-groups of data like educational attainment, employment, and multidimensional poverty. It offers data about adults at national and subnational levels for a variety of countries.

The DS-E and DS-QR databases are both publicly accessible online. Users can download datasets in Excel format or use interactive platforms for tables and visualizations. Registration may be required for some tools or advanced features.

No. DDI data are free to access for research, policy, or advocacy purposes. Users must cite the data appropriately according to DDI’s citation guidelines.

DDI updates its databases periodically as new surveys, censuses, or improved methodologies become available. Updates ensure that users have access to the most current and comparable data.

Researchers, policymakers, NGOs, and international organizations can collaborate with the DDI on research, capacity building, methodological development, and advocacy. Collaboration requests can be submitted via the DDI website or contact email.

The DDI frames its research through human rights and capability perspectives. Our analysis of inequalities is grounded in a human rights approach to disability, which focuses on the inherent dignity of the human being. This focus is broad in scope, covering civil and political rights, as well as economic, social, and cultural rights.

The capability approach, and its application to disability through the human development model, informs our analysis. This model defines, measures and understands both human deprivations and wellbeing, and how they may relate to health conditions, impairments and functional difficulties.

Disability can be measured in a variety of ways. There is not a gold standard measure of disability. We use a measure of functional disability difficulties based on the Washington Group Short Set or similar questions, because such questions have been tested for their usability across countries. Such questions have been widely adopted across countries, and thus there is a lot of data that can be used to produce disaggregated indicators of wellbeing in various contexts.

No. The DDI does not collect primary data. It maps and analyses data from household surveys and population and housing censuses that are typically collected by national statistics offices.

No, the DDI produces statistics for adults ages 15 and above. UNICEF has produced disability-disaggregated statistics on children for many countries.

The DDI supported the World Bank by providing methodological guidance and codes in the development of statistics for its Disability Data Hub. This enhanced its capacity to generate prevalence and disability-disaggregated statistics. Estimates on the Disability Data Hub may differ from those in the Disability Statistics – Estimates Database.