Today, we have published a report titled Trends in Disability Prevalence among Young People: Insights from the Growing Up in Ireland Study.

The report finds that there has been a significant growth in the proportion of 13-year-olds reported to have a long-lasting condition (24% to 36%) and in those who have received at least one diagnosis of a condition (16% to 31%).

The proportion of 13-year-olds who have a disability (that is, are hampered by their condition) has increased from 6% to 23%.

This increase may be partly related to changes in question wording over time but information from teachers and principals also points to an increase.

Young people with a disability have more conflictual relationships with their parents, smaller peer networks, greater difficulties interacting with peers, less involvement in organised sports and more negative attitudes to school compared to their peers.

In 2011/12, boys were more likely to have a long-lasting condition or disability but by 2021/22 no gender differences in prevalence are evident.  

Publication

Download Trends in Disability Prevalence among Young People: Insights from the Growing Up in Ireland Study by Emer Smyth and Helen Russell 

Press release

Read the accompanying press release, which highlights key points from the publication.

For further information, please contact:

Prof Emer Smyth, Research Professor, ESRI

[email protected]

This report has been accepted for publication by the Institute, which does not itself take institutional policy positions. The report has been peer-reviewed prior to publication. The authors are solely responsible for the content and the views expressed.