Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Parents with Disabilities in the United States and Their Risk of Poverty: Cross-Sectional Analysis of 2016-2020 American Community Survey
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| Title: | Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Parents with Disabilities in the United States and Their Risk of Poverty: Cross-Sectional Analysis of 2016-2020 American Community Survey |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Miriam Heyman (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of Disability Policy Studies. 2026 36(4):221-230. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 10 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) (DHHS/ACL) |
| Contract Number: | 90dpcp0012 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Parents with Disabilities, At Risk Persons, Poverty, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Marital Status, Educational Attainment, Employment Level, Welfare Services, Health Insurance, Place of Residence, Family Structure, Age Differences, Rural Areas, Urban Areas |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | American Community Survey |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10442073251368349 |
| ISSN: | 1044-2073 1538-4802 |
| Abstract: | People with disabilities are increasingly becoming parents, but population estimates of parents with disabilities vary. Also, there is very little information about the life circumstances of parents with disabilities. This study uses the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year data, 2016-2020, to explore the prevalence and life circumstances of disabled parents in the United States. Findings indicate that there are roughly 65.9 million parents in the United States, and about 4.4 million have a disability. Parents with any disability are more likely to live below 100% of the poverty line (27.30%) compared to nonparents with disabilities (17.74%), parents without disabilities (11.38%), or nonparents without disabilities (9.30%). Even after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and potentially protective factors such as program participation, the risk of poverty remains elevated (relative risk [RR] = 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.91-1.95, p < 0.001) for parents with any disability. Disparities persist across each of six disability types. Additional research is critical to inform program and policy development. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1496628 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | People with disabilities are increasingly becoming parents, but population estimates of parents with disabilities vary. Also, there is very little information about the life circumstances of parents with disabilities. This study uses the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year data, 2016-2020, to explore the prevalence and life circumstances of disabled parents in the United States. Findings indicate that there are roughly 65.9 million parents in the United States, and about 4.4 million have a disability. Parents with any disability are more likely to live below 100% of the poverty line (27.30%) compared to nonparents with disabilities (17.74%), parents without disabilities (11.38%), or nonparents without disabilities (9.30%). Even after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and potentially protective factors such as program participation, the risk of poverty remains elevated (relative risk [RR] = 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.91-1.95, p < 0.001) for parents with any disability. Disparities persist across each of six disability types. Additional research is critical to inform program and policy development. |
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| ISSN: | 1044-2073 1538-4802 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/10442073251368349 |
