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According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61 million adults in the United States — one in four under the age of 65 and two in five seniors over 65 — have a disability that impacts their daily life.

The most common disability type is immobility (trouble walking or climbing stairs). Others include:

• Cognition issues (memory problems, difficulty concentrating, or having trouble making decisions)
• Hearing loss
• Vision problems
• Independent living problems (such as not being able to do errands alone)
• Self-care difficulty (in dressing or bathing, for example)

The CDC report notes that disabilities are more common in women, non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives, adults with lower income, and those who live in the South. In middle-aged adults, mobility issues are about five times more common in lower-income adults as in adults with an income twice the poverty level.

Adults over age 65 with disabilities are more likely than younger adults with disabilities to have health insurance and a primary care doctor, and to have had a routine health checkup in the previous year. Overall, adults with vision problems report the least access to medical care, and adults with self-care disabilities report the most access to health care.