This publication is part of a series of results from Census 2022. More thematic publications will be published throughout 2023 as outlined in the Census 2022 Publication Schedule.
As people can experience more than one long-lasting condition or difficulty, the numbers found in each category do not add to the total number of people with long-lasting conditions or difficulties.
A total of 296,601 people experienced blindness or a vision impairment to any extent.
This was 6% of the population or 27% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
Incidence of blindness or a vision impairment experienced to a great extent increased with age.
Just under 14,000 people aged between 80 and 84 experienced this condition to some extent compared with 19,388 in the 50 to 54 years age group.
The highest incidence of blindness or a vision impairment was recorded in the over 85 years age group, with significantly more females than males experiencing this condition.
In Census 2022, 233,420 people, or 5% of the population, experienced deafness or a hearing impairment to any extent.
This was 21% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
Incidence of deafness or a hearing impairment experienced to any extent increased with age, more rapidly from 50 years onwards.
When examined to a great extent, the prevalence of deafness or a hearing impairment was lower for those in the 15 to 29 years age groups.
There were 349,155 people who experienced a difficulty with basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting or carrying in Census 2022.
This represents just under 7% of the population or 31% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
The incidence of this condition increased with age up to 14 years before decreasing slightly among the 15 to 29 years age groups.
Incidence of difficulty with basic physical activities began to increase again from age 30 onwards.
For all age groups over 20 years, higher numbers of females than males recorded experiencing this condition.
The total number of people who experienced an intellectual disability to any extent was 109,288 people.
This represents 2% of the population or 10% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
Looking at five year age groups, the number of people experiencing an intellectual disability increased up to the age of 14 and then declined quite rapidly for those aged 15 to 39 years.
Incidence of an intellectual disability rose again among people in the age groups 40 to 59 years before declining for those aged 60 to 84 years.
Incidence of an intellectual disability to a great extent was markedly higher among males up to the age of 70.
In the age groups over 70 years, the number of females experiencing an intellectual disability to a great extent was higher than among males.
A total of 259,050 people experienced a difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating to any extent.
This amounts to 5% of the population or 23% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
One-third of those experiencing this condition to a great extent were aged under 20 years, 15,565 of whom were male and 8,272 were female.
There were 269,789 people experiencing this condition recorded in Census 2022.
This amounted to 5% of the population or 24% of all people experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
When examined to a great extent, higher numbers of females than males recorded experiencing this condition, particularly between the ages of 20 and 40.
This was the most common long-lasting condition or difficulty experienced to any extent.
A total of 440,090 people, or 40% of all those experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent recorded experiencing this condition.
This was 9% of the total population.
Incidence of difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness increased with age up to 65 years.
People can experience more than one long-lasting condition or difficulty. The findings below refer to people who experienced the conditions or difficulties to any extent.
Difficulty with pain, breathing or any other chronic illness was the most common second condition among those experiencing blindness or a visual impairment and among those experiencing a difficulty with basic physical activities.
Difficulty with basic physical activities was the most common second condition among people experiencing either deafness or a hearing impairment, a difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating or a difficulty with pain breathing or any other chronic illness.
When compared with other disability types, those experiencing an intellectual disability generally recorded higher percentages of other conditions and difficulties; 82,205 (75%) also experienced a difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating, while a further 50,708 (46%) also experienced a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue.
Almost 270,000 people experienced a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue; just under 40% (102,108) of these also experienced a difficulty with learning, remembering or concentrating. More than a third of these (38,636 people) experienced this condition to a great extent.
Difficulty participating in other activities, for example leisure or using transport, was the most common difficulty recorded among people who experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent.
People experiencing a difficulty with basic physical activities recorded the highest proportions of other difficulties. Of the 349,155 people who experienced this difficulty, 122,083 (35%) also experienced difficulty participating in other activities to a great extent.
Among those who experienced an intellectual disability, more than half (56%) experienced difficulty with both working at a job or business or attending school or college to any extent (60,768 people) and participating in other activities to any extent (61,400 people).
Close to half (46%) of the 259,050 people who experienced a difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating also experienced difficulty working at a job or business or attending school or college to any extent. Of these, 77,070 (65%) of these experienced this to a great extent.
Among people who experienced a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue, one in four also experienced difficulty working at a job or business or attending school or college to a great extent. A further 18% of these experienced this difficulty to some extent.
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