. "2. Dynamics of SSA's Disability Programs." The Dynamics of Disability: Measuring and Monitoring Disability for Social Security Programs. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2002.
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The Dynamics of Disability: Measuring and Monitoring Disability for Social Security Programs
TABLE 2-4 Percentage of Disabled Workers Awarded SSDI Benefits, by Gender, 1960–2000
Age
Year
<30
30–39
40–49
50–64
Men
1960
0.8
7.0
17.0
75.2
1970
6.7
7.6
16.6
69.1
1980
8.3
9.7
14.4
67.6
1990
10.9
16.9
18.9
53.3
2000
6.8
12.9
23.4
56.8
Women
1960
0.7
8.1
21.3
69.9
1970
4.2
6.3
17.1
72.4
1980
7.4
9.7
15.7
67.2
1990
8.5
16.3
22.9
52.3
2000
5.8
13.7
25.8
54.7
SOURCE: SSA, 2001d.
an increase of 118 percent. A similar distribution of impairments is noted for SSI working age beneficiaries, with 31 percent receiving benefits in 2000 because of mental disorders other than mental retardation and another 21 percent receiving benefits because of mental retardation.4
Between 1981 and 2000, the proportion of SSDI benefit awards based on circulatory conditions, the top ranked condition in the earlier year, declined by 52 percent. The proportion of persons awarded benefits on the basis of musculoskeletal conditions increased by 41 percent between 1981 and 2000. By 2000, musculoskeletal conditions had eclipsed circulatory conditions as the most common set of conditions associated with the award of SSDI benefits. One possible explanation is the aging of the baby boom generation cohorts (1946–1964) who are currently entering the ages of highest incidence of arthritis and back disorders (Helmick et al., 1995). In addition, rates of cardiovascular disease have declined over the past 10 to 15 years.
4
1981 data for SSI comparable to those for SSDI are not available.
