Methodological considerations when assessing disability status in survey research: advantages and disadvantages of common approaches.

Abstract

To describe different methods of asking about or determining disability status in survey methodology, including the advantages and disadvantages of each method. We drew upon the literature on survey research studies including items regarding disability status, as well as our own experiences as rehabilitation survey researchers, and summarized common strategies of asking about disability, including their strengths and weaknesses. The following strategies for asking about disability are discussed in detail: self-identification of disability status; querying functional limitations; querying diagnoses received; and querying symptoms to determine possible diagnoses. Strengths, limitations, and examples of each approach are provided. The strengths and limitations of combining multiple approaches in a single survey are also discussed. Different strategies for querying or determining disability status in survey research may yield different results and capture different populations. Researchers should carefully consider how they ask about disability when designing survey items.