The contribution of disability to labor market behavior is a subject of considerable attention. Notwithstanding this tremendous interest, a great deal of variation exists in the use of terms such as health, impairment, and disability. Consequently, comparing results across studies is often difficult, and the impact empirical research can have on policy making is diminished. This article outlines the conceptual issues involved in defining disability, reviews definitions of disability commonly used in empirical labor market research and by policy makers, examines the problems that accompany the use of the various methods, and offers some thoughts for future work in the area of defining disability.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,42 U.S.C.A. § 12101 et seq. (West 1993).
2.
Barnartt, S., & Christiansen, J. (1985). Socioeconomic status of deaf workers: A minority group perspective. Social Science Journal, 22(4), 19—31.
3.
Barnes, C., Shakespeare, T., & Mercer, G. (1999). Exploring disability: A sociological introduction. Cambridge, England: Polity Press.
4.
Bound, J. (1991). Self-reported versus objective measures of health in retirement models. Journal of Human Resources, 26, 106—138.
5.
Burdett, K., Kiefer, N., Mortensen, D., & Neumann, G. (1984). Earnings, unemployment and the allocation of time over time. Review of Economic Studies, 51, 559—578.
6.
Burdett, K., Kiefer, N., & Sharma, S. (1985). Layoffs and duration dependence in a model of turnover. Journal ofEconometrics, 28, 51—69.
7.
Burkhauser, R., & Daly, M. (1994). The economic consequences of disability: A comparison of German and American people with disabilities. Journal of DisabilityPolicy Studies, 5(1), 25—52.
8.
Chirikos, T., & Nestel G. (1984). Economic determinants and consequences of self-reported work disability. Journal of Health Economics, 3, 117—136.
9.
Daly, M. (1995). Characteristics of SSI and SSDI recipients in the years prior to receiving benefits: Evidence from the panel study of income dynamics. Report prepared for the conference on Social Security Administration's Disability Programs, Washington, DC.
10.
DeJong, G., Batavia, A., & Griss, R. (1989). America's neglected health minority: Working-age persons with disabilities. Milbank Quarterly, 67 (Suppl. 2, Pt. 2), 311—351.
11.
DeLeire, T. (2000). The wage and employment effects of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Journal of Human Resources, 35, 693—715.
12.
European Commission. (1996). Helios II. European guide for good practice: Towards equal opportunities for disabled people. Luxembourg.
13.
Hahn, H. (1984). The issue of equality: European perceptions of employment policy for disabled persons. New York: World Rehabilitation Fund.
14.
Hahn, H. (1985). Towards a politics of disability: Definitions, disciplines, and policies. Social Science Journal, 22, 87—105.
15.
Haveman, R., & Wolfe, B. (1984). The decline in male labor force participation: Comment. Journal of Political Economy, 92, 532—549.
16.
Haveman, R., & Wolfe, B. (1985). Income, inequality and uncertainty: Differences between the disabled and non-disabled. In M. David & T. Smeeding (Eds.), Horizontalequity, uncertainty, and economic well-being (pp. 292— 321). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
17.
Kruse, D. (1997, September). Employment and disability: Characteristics of employed and non-employed people with disabilities. A report to theU.S. Department of Labor.
18.
Lambrinos, J. (1981). Health: A source of bias in labor supply models . The Review of Economics and Statistics, 63, 206—212.
19.
Leonard, J. (1979). The Social Security Disability Program and labor force participation (Working Paper No. 392). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
20.
Leonard, J. (1986). Labor supply incentives and disincentives for disabled persons. In M. Berkowitz & M. A. Hill (Eds.), Disability and the labor market: Economicproblems, policies and programs (pp. 64—94). Ithaca, NY: ILRPress.
21.
Louis Harris and Associates. (1995). Harris survey on employment of people with disabilities. New York: Author.
22.
Maddox, G., & Douglas, E. (1973). Self assessment of health: A longitudinal study of elderly subjects. Journal of Health and Social Behavior , 14, 87—93.
23.
Mashaw, J., & Reno, V. (Eds.). (1996). Balancing security and opportunity . Washington, DC: National Academy of Social Insurance.
24.
Nagi, S. (1965). Some conceptual issues in disability and rehabilitation . In M. Sussman (Ed.), Sociology and rehabilitation (pp. 100—113). Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.
25.
Nagi, S. (1969). Disability and rehabilitation: Legal, clinical and self-concepts and measurements. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
26.
Parsons, D. (1980a). The decline in male labor force participation . Journal of Political Economy, 88, 117—135.
27.
Parsons, D. (1980b). Racial trends in male labor force participation . American Economic Review, 70, 911—920.
28.
Parsons, D. (1982). The male labour force participation decision: Health, reported health, and economic incentives. Economica , 49(193), 81—91.
29.
Parsons, T. (1958). Definitions of health and illness in the light of American values and social structure. In E. G. Jaco (Ed.), Patients, physicians and illness. New York: Free Press.
30.
Scheffler, R., & Iden, G. (1974). The effect of disability on labor supply. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 28, 122—132.
31.
Scotch, R., & Schriner, K. (1997). Disability as human variation: Implications for policy. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 148, 154—157.
32.
Slade, F. (1982). Health care incentives under disability insurance (Working Paper No. 813). Cambridge, MA: NBER.
33.
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1382(c) 1614 (1935).
34.
Stern, S. (1989). Measuring the effect of disability on labor force participation. Journal of Human Resources, 24, 361—395.
35.
Stoddard, S., Jans, L., Ripple, J., & Kraus, L. (1998) Chartbook on work and disability in the United States, 1998 (an InfoUse Report). Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.
36.
Toyota Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. v. Williams, S. Ct. 00-1089 (2002 ).
37.
U.S. Government Accounting Office. (1996). Federal programs could work together more efficiently to promote employment (GAO/HEHS-96-126). Washington, DC: Author.
38.
Watson, I., Herold, J., & Dunn, D. (1982). How valid are self-report measures for evaluating relationships between women's health and labor force participation?Women and Health, 7(2), 53—66.
39.
Weiner, S. (1984). A survival analysis of adult male black/white labor market flows. In G. R. Neumann & N. C. Westergard-Nielsen (Eds.), Studies in labor market dynamics (pp. 132—157). New York : Springer-Verlag.
40.
Wolfe, B., & Haveman, R. (1990). Trends in the prevalence of work disability from 1962 to 1984 and their correlates. Milbank Quarterly, 68, 53—80.
41.
World Health Organization. (1980). International classification of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps: A manual of classification relating to the consequences of disease. Geneva: Author.
42.
Yelin, E., & Trupin, L. (1997, November). Successful labor market transitions for persons with disabilities: Factors affecting the probability of entering and maintaining employment. Paper presented at the conference on Employment Post the Americans with Disabilities Act. Sponsored by the Office of Disability, Social Security Administration and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Washington, DC.
