More Likely to Be Poor Whatever the Measure: Working-Age Persons with Disabilities in the United States*
Abstract
Objective
This article examines whether disability is a correlate of poverty when poverty is measured using (1) the official poverty measure; (2) the supplemental poverty measure (SPM); and (3) two multidimensional poverty measures created by the authors.
Methods
Data from the Current Population Survey are used to explore the relationship between poverty and disability for each measure. Differences across disability status were tested for statistical significance.
Results
Disability is associated with poverty, irrespective of the poverty measure under use. The gap in poverty rates between persons with and without disabilities is smaller when using the SPM as compared to the official poverty measure. The gap in poverty rates between persons with and without disabilities is highest when using multidimensional poverty measures.
Conclusion
Working-age persons with disabilities are more likely to be poor whatever the measure under use. They are a disadvantaged group in the United States.
Publication Date
6-11-2014
Journal Title
Social Science Quarterly
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1111/ssqu.12098
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Brucker, D.L., Mitra, S., Chaitoo, N., & Mauro, J. (2014). More likely to be poor whatever the measure: Working-age persons with disabilities in the United States. Social Science Quarterly. DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.12098.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ssqu.12098/abstract
Rights
© 2014 by the Southwestern Social Science Association