Landes Weighs In on US Census Bureau Change in How It Asks About Disabilities in AP Article

February 8, 2024

The Associated Press

Scott Landes

Sociology Department

Aging Studies Institute

Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Disability

Federal

United States

The Associated Press

Scott Landes

The U.S. Census Bureau halted plans to change how it asks people about disabilities after facing a growing backlash.

Advocates for disabled people had argued that proposed changes to disability questions on the bureau’s American Community Survey would artificially reduce their numbers by more than 40%, limiting the ability of some to get vital resources for housing, schools or program benefits.

The bureau plans to meet with advocates in the disability community and determine what changes to the questions are needed to better capture the range of disabilities.

“Good news. Good news. Good news,” says Scott Landes, associate professor of sociology and O'Hanley Faculty Scholar. “They got the message that we need to engage.”

Read more in the Associated Press article, “The Census Bureau halts changing how it asks about disabilities following a backlash.”