Disability News, Benefits, and Health Resources
Seventy million American adults live with a disability. Another 1.3 billion people worldwide (about the combined population of Europe and North America) share that experience, roughly 16 percent of the global population. Disabled World (DW) reports on the policies, research, benefits, and assistive technology that shape their lives. Coverage centers on the United States: Social Security and SSI payments, Medicare and Medicaid rules, accessibility law, and medical research relevant to American readers. International stories appear where they intersect with American policy or practice. Publishing since 2004 under the banner Towards Tomorrow. Learn more about us.
Did You Know:
- 1 - Autism diagnoses have risen dramatically: about 1 in 31 eight-year-old children (3.2 percent) were identified with autism in 2022 CDC surveillance data, up from 1 in 36 in 2020 and just 1 in 150 when the CDC first began tracking it among children born in the early 1990s.
- 2 - Disability rises sharply with age: about 8.7 percent of adults aged 18 to 29 report a disability, climbing to 43.9 percent among adults aged 65 and older.
- 3 - Childhood disability tracks closely with family income - 18 percent of U.S. children in families below the poverty level report a disability, compared with 11 percent of children in families at or above 200 percent of the poverty line. View more Disability Statistics.
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Recent Disability News and Information
Why Schools and Students Underperform in Math and Reading
An educator examines standardized testing, shifting math and reading methods, and screen time as three fixable causes of student underperformance. Published: 2 Jul 2026.
Dropping the Cancer Label May Cut Prostate Deaths
A UCLA-led model finds relabeling the lowest-risk prostate cancer could cut overtreatment and prevent nearly 2,400 deaths a year through more screening. Published: 1 Jul 2026.
Brain Injury Repair May Ride on the Cell's Own Vesicles
A peer-reviewed review finds stem cell vesicles may treat traumatic brain injury across rats, swine, and monkeys, with early human gains reported. Published: 30 Jun 2026.
Brain2Qwerty: Meta's Mind-Reading Typing Leap
Brain2Qwerty is Meta's non-invasive AI system that decodes typed sentences from brain activity, hinting at new tools for people who cannot speak or type. Published: 30 Jun 2026.
Popular Pages
Disability Loans and Grants: Financial assistance programs available for low-income families, seniors, and disabled students.
Famous People with Disabilities: Lists of well-known people with various disabilities and conditions who contributed to society.
Awareness Ribbon Colors: Guide to awareness ribbon colors for health, medical conditions, disability, and other causes.
Adult Height to Weight Chart: Ideal weight-to-height ratio for adult females and males.
Child to Teen Height to Weight Ratio Charts: Average height-to-weight ratios for children and teens organized by age.
Newly Updated Pages
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak Updates: DR Congo and Uganda (2026): Tracking the 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda, with dated case and death counts, cross-border spread, and WHO risk levels and response.
Vichay Phommachan: Deaf Artist, Actor, Model, and Dancer: Vichay Phommachan is a deaf Laotian-American artist, actor, model, and dancer who broke barriers as the first deaf person to audition for American Idol.
Art and Disability: Creative Expression Beyond Limitations: This article highlights how art benefits people with disabilities, featuring famous disabled artists and practical advice for starting your own creative journey.
Famous People With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Discover famous people with autism (ASD) and their achievements across many fields, from Temple Grandin and Daniel Tammet to actress Daryl Hannah.
List of Physically Disabled World Leaders and Politicians: Explore a global list of physically disabled world leaders and politicians who governed despite challenges, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to leaders worldwide.