Socioeconomic Disparities in the Prevalence of Disability in Iran: A Decomposition Analysis Using the Concentration Index

Objective Various factors, including injuries, health conditions, demographics, environmental influences, and socioeconomic factors, can elevate the risk of disability.This study estimates the socioeconomic inequality associated with disability prevalence within Iran's general population.Materials & Methods This research used secondary data from the 2011 Iran multiple indicator demographic and health survey (IrMIDHS).The concentration index was used to evaluate socioeconomic-related inequality in disability prevalence.The outcome variable, disability prevalence, was measured as a binary indicator.The concentration index was also decomposed to identify the primary factors contributing to socioeconomic inequality in disability prevalence.Available demographic data included age, gender, location (rural or urban residence), and socioeconomic indicators, such as educational attainment and wealth index.Results A total of 86 403 Iranian individuals, aged 1 to 95 years, participated in the survey, with a mean age of 28.88 years (0.06).Disability prevalence within the study population was 6.29% (n=5 432).The concentration index for disability was calculated at 0.15 (P<0.001),indicating that disability prevalence was disproportionately higher among those with greater socioeconomic status.The analysis highlighted the wealth index as the key factor driving this inequality, contributing to 87.41% of the total socioeconomic disparity in disability prevalence.Conclusion The findings indicated that socioeconomic-related inequality in the prevalence of disability was concentrated among well-off participants.Accordingly, identifying the cause of disabilities in groups with higher socioeconomic status is suggested to formulate policy options to prevent disabilities and provide needed support.