Statistics Canada has published its most recent data on the prevalence of disabilities in the general Canadian population which shows growing prevalence of learning disabilities, developmental disabilities and memory disabilities among those it surveys.
The 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, parts of which are summarized in the recent note Canadians with learning, developmental and memory disabilities, 2022, found that 5.6 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 have a learning disability, 1.5 per cent had a developmental disability and 4.9 per cent had a memory disability in 2022. “Consistent with the trend in the overall disability rate, all three of these disability types increased in prevalence from 2017 to 2022,” the statistics agency states. “In 2022, 56 per cent of persons with disabilities had unmet needs for assistive aids and devices, medications and healthcare therapies and services. Those with memory (62 per cent) and developmental (70 per cent) disabilities were more likely to report unmet needs.”
Prevalence of disabilities
Broken down, they say the prevalence of learning disabilities and memory disabilities was higher in women than in men. Developmental disabilities were more likely to be reported by men. The report also looks at commonly co-occurring disabilities among those with memory and developmental disabilities.
Learning and developmental disabilities were highest among youth between 15 and 24 years of age – 9.2 per cent of Canadians fell into this category, followed by 5.3 per cent of working age adults and 4.1 per cent of seniors over age 65. Memory disabilities were more prevalent among seniors with 6.6 per cent saying they have memory disabilities compared to just four per cent of youth and 4.5 per cent of working age adults.
