Trends in the prevalence of disability and its causation in the republic of Croatia from 2014 to 2024

In the Republic of Croatia, data on individuals with disabilities are monitored within the Registry of Persons with Disabilities. This paper provides findings from a comparative analysis of the prevalence of disability in Croatia between 2014 and 2024, as well as the demographic distribution of disability by age, gender, and type of impairment in the same period. Aggregated statistical indicators from the annual reports on persons with disabilities and the Croatian Health Statistics Yearbook were used for further analysis. A statistically significant increase was observed in the prevalence of disability (from 12% to 17%). The gender-based distribution of disability has changed: the ratio of men to women remained constant (6 to 4) until 2020, after which, there has been an increasing representation of women. In the first years of observation (until 2019), the highest percentage of persons with disabilities was correlated with the working age (20 to 64 years), but, since 2022, there has been an increase in persons with disabilities in the 65+ years age group. Child disability (0 to 19 years) has also seen an increase. Considering the type of impairment, the most common causes of disability were impairments of the locomotor system, followed by impairments of other organs and organ systems, chromosomopathies, congenital anomalies and rare diseases, and, lastly, mental impairments. We believe that the reason behind the observed increase in the prevalence of disability in Croatia is the digitalisation of the Registry of Persons with Disabilities, thus facilitating the submission of data collected from expert evaluations and allowing forcomplete coverage of data on these individuals. Additionally, the Republic of Croatia has recorded a depopulation rate, as well as population aging, which has increased the number of individuals subject to mandatory expert evaluation for the purpose of claiming disability rights. This increase in prevalence of disability is consistent with global trends. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has not yet been fully ratified across the world, nor has a uniform method for establishing disability been defined: this makes it difficult to develop epidemiological studies and compare prevalence rates at an international scale. In light of the above, it is necessary to develop efficient methods that can be used to record reliable statistics that would enable high-end international comparability studies and, consequently, improve the current level of understanding of disability. This will also enhance the planning of policies related to the care and rights guaranteed for persons with disabilities.