PRESIDENT’S INVITED COLUMN
This month, we will have a description of the Committee on Statistics and Disability. As I was naming new committee members, I corresponded
with Joan Turek, chair of the committee, and learned a little about its functions. I think it’s worthwhile to share committee members’ perspectives
and goals with the ASA membership.
- Tony Lachenbruch, ASA President
Committee on Statistics and Disability
T
he Committee on Statistics and Disability’s two-fold mis- Committee members have also expressed concern about losses
sion is to advance and improve statistics used in disabil- of information concerning disabling conditions on two census
ity research and to support ASA members and potential surveys: the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
members by working to ensure their full participation in the and the American Community Survey (ACS). SIPP is undergo-
association and related communities (e.g., academia, govern- ing a major redesign, and the current disability module—which
ment, and industry). provides the only longitudinal data on disability available from
Disability is a complex concept and difficult to measure. any survey—will no longer be included. Instead, a short set of
Federal disability programs account for 67 definitions, which disability questions will be asked once on each SIPP panel. SIPP
can be pared down to 41 after accounting for overlaps. Hundreds is, moreover, the only survey that covers all age groups and per-
more exist for state and local disability programs. An article mitted modeling of the many definitions of disability contained
now planned for the October issue of CHANCE by Michele in federal programs.
Connolly, committee vice chair, will discuss the complexities Also, the question about being “too disabled to work” was
involved in defining disability. In recognition of these com- dropped from the ACS as part of the 2008 redesign because
plexities, committee members are drawn from a variety of areas of difficulties with interpretation. However, work disability
focusing on persons with disabilities in different age groups (e.g., measures are critical for the major federal disability programs.
children, working-aged adults, the elderly) and persons in major Indeed, the two largest and most costly federal disability pro-
condition groups (e.g., visually and hearing impaired, physically grams—Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental
disabled, cognitively impaired, learning disabled, mentally ill). Security Income—are for persons too disabled to work. On April
While many of the committee’s nine members are, or have been 10, 2006, then ASA President Sallie Keller-McNulty sent a letter
associated, with federal programs, specialists are also drawn from to C. Louis Kincannon, director of the U.S. Census Bureau, urg-
academia and the nonprofit and international sectors. ing the bureau to undertake continued research on technical and
Committee members have placed highest priority on ensuring methodological adjustments so as to improve the measurement
that ASA activities, including the annual meeting, are fully acces- of work disability in the ACS.
sible to persons with disabilities. While ASA staff members work Committee members have pursued other activities in support
hard to make meetings accessible, there is still room for improve- of the committee’s mission, as well. In 2006, Carolyn Shettle led
ment. For example, the long distance between convention sites a member initiative to prepare webcasts, providing access to three
and hotels and limited transportation poses challenges for those plenary lectures to ASA members with disabilities and others who
with mobility limitations. Committee members are working with were unable to attend the meetings in Seattle. Other ASA commit-
ASA Executive Director Ron Wasserstein to consider additional tees joined the effort, and webcasts are continuing.
steps that can be implemented to enhance accessibility. Other members put together invited panels covering differ-
Currently, few persons self identify that they are disabled and ing issues: “Status of Disability Information in Surveys” (Michele
need accommodation at meetings, making it difficult to justify Connolly) and “Valid and Reliable Disability Measurement in
expenditures for shuttles or other accommodations. Unfortunately, Surveys” (David Keer). At the 2008 meetings in Denver, Mary
committee members lack information about how many ASA Chamie will chair an invited panel titled “Are Disability Statistics
members experience disabling conditions or what accommoda- Relevant and Useful for National Policies and Programs?” Another
tions would help them. Committee members also are unable to committee member, John Drabek, is planning for the 2009 meet-
determine the extent to which disabling conditions have limited ings in Washington, DC. His panel will be about recent develop-
participation in the statistics profession in general, so they have ments in measuring disability and cognitive impairment.
asked Ron to consider adding a question to the membership form Committee members are interested in hearing from ASA
that would have members self identify their limitations. members, particularly those with disabilities, about activities the
A major committee priority in 2008 is reaching out to other committee should pursue and their interest in being involved.
committees and sections of the ASA. Members are also interested in Joan Turek, committee chair, can be reached at joan.turek@hhs.
undertaking outreach activities involving universities to determine gov, jlturek@aol.gov, or (202) 690-5965. n
if persons with disabilities are majoring in statistics and to encour-
age them to do so. One committee member, Mary Grace Kovar,
wrote a report, “Accessibility to ASA Facilities and Functions,”
that will appear soon at www.amstat.org/comm/cmtesd.
10 AMSTAT NEWS APRIL 2008
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