Handicaps in Algiers according to a household survey

Abstract

In order to assess the prevalence of handicaps in Algiers, a cluster sampling survey was carried out among 827 households, ie 5670 inhabitants. A questionnaire was used to identify people with handicaps according to several criteria using the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps. The overall prevalence of handicaps is 147.6 per thousand inhabitants. The increase in prevalence with increasing age is striking particularly for the most serious handicaps. Disabled people depending on others represent 7.3% of handicapped people and 1.0% of the surveyed population. This also shows that 6.9% of households look after dependent handicapped people, more than half of whom are over 60 years old. About 8% of children under 15 have handicaps which impede or prevent schooling. About 7% of the handicaps resulted from accidents. Because of the nature of handicaps it is easy to collect such data.