Prevalence of work disability by state, 1976.

Various surveys conducted by the Social Security Administration have provided national estimates of the prevalence of work disability among the adult population. In the 1972 survey, the most recent, approximately 7.4 million persons, or 7 percent of the civilian noninstitutionalized population aged 20-64, reported severe disability, defined as the inability to work at all or the inability to work regularly. About 15 million persons, or 14 percent of the population in this age range, reported some degree of disabi1ity.l Because the 1976 Bureau of the Census Survey of Income and Education 2 contained a battery of disability questions similar to those used by the Social Security Administration surveys, estimates of work disability by State are now available for the first time. Table 1 presents, by geographic division and State, estimates of the number of disabled persons and of those severely disabled as well as disability prevalence rates under both measures. The prevalence rates were highest in the South under both measures.3 The East South Central division had 178 self-identified disabled individuals per 1,000 persons aged 18-64; 110 per 1,000 were severely disabled. The South Atlantic and West South Central divisions, respectively, registered the next highest rates. New England had the lowest prevalence rates-l 12 disabled and 58 severely disabled persons per 1,000 population.4 West Virginia, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and