A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these. A disability may be present from birth, or occur during a person's lifetime.
Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. Thus disability is a complex phenomenon, reflecting an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives.An individual may also qualify as disabled if he/she has had an impairment in the past or is seen as disabled based on a personal or group standard or norm. Such impairments may include physical, sensory, and cognitive or developmental disabilities. Mental disorders (also known as psychiatric or psychosocial disability) and various types of chronic disease may also qualify as disabilities.
Some advocates object to describing certain conditions (notably deafness and autism) as "disabilities", arguing that it is more appropriate to consider them developmental differences that have been unfairly stigmatized by society.
Read more about Disability: Types of Disability, Theory, Political Issues
Other articles related to "disability":
... CREA educational website about Sex and Disability Disabled World Disability Sexuality – Information on Sex and Sexual Issues with Disabilities Sexuality and Disability ...
... International disability classification in sailing is done by a committee, which gives each competitor a number score with lower numbers corresponding to more severe disability. 2.4mR All sailors are required to have a minimal disability or a higher level of disability as defined in the FCS 2005 ...
... Sexuality and disability is the study of sexual behaviour and practices of a person with a disability ... Physical disability such as a spinal cord injury may change the sexual functioning of a person ...
... Having a disability may sometimes create an emotional or psychological burden for the person with the disability ... rejection on the basis that they have a disability ... In The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability, Miriam Kaufman points out that attempting to hide a disability or minimize its existence is ultimately an added burden, encouraging readers to "come out" to ...
... Disability benefit, or disability pension, is a major kind of disability insurance, and is provided by government agencies to people who are temporarily or ... disability benefit is provided within the category of Supplemental Security Income, and in Canada, within the Canada Pension Plan ... In other countries, disability benefit may be provided under Social security systems ...