A New Survey Measure of Disability: the Disability Screening Questions (DSQ)
10. Conclusion
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- Main page
- 1. Context
- 2. Measuring disability at Statistics Canada
- 3. Developing the DSQ
- 4. The new DSQ
- 5. Severity score
- 6. The short DSQ
- 7. Current and future uses of the DSQ
- 8. Comparing the DSQ with other health measures
- 9. Recent developments
- 10. Conclusion
- Appendices
- More Information
- PDF version
The DSQ is the first instrument to measure disability based on the social model while at the same time taking into account activity limitations in the identification of disability. As a result, the DSQ yields prevalence rates that are not directly comparable with previously released estimates for Canada or other countries. It may take some time for users to become familiar with the DSQ concepts and definitions.
The DSQ can also, although they were not created for that purpose, produce a measure of functional health—estimates of the prevalence of difficulties related to vision, hearing, mobility, flexibility, dexterity, pain, learning, memory, mental health, and development. But most importantly, it can determine how many people are limited in their daily activities owing to these difficulties or health problems. These are people who face barriers and may not have the help they need to fully participate in society.
Inclusion of the DSQ on general population surveys, as well as on the Canadian Survey on Disability, will make more frequent and thorough analyses possible and will shed light on the situation of people with a disability, particularly, those whose daily activities are limited.
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