The preliminary results of the ad hoc module on employment of disabled people of the Spring 2002 round of the Labour Force Survey provide the following estimates for persons aged 16-64 living in private households in 25 European countries:

• Of those persons aged between 16 and 64 years, 44.6 million – i.e. one in six (15.7%) – stated that they had a long-standing health problem or disability (LSHPD). 
• Labour force participation is indeed much lower for the disabled: 78% of the severely disabled aged 16-64 are outside of the labour force as compared to 27% for those without LSHPD. And even among those in the labour force, the unemployment rate is nearly twice as high among the severely disabled as compared to the non-disabled. Only 16% of those who face work restrictions are provided with some assistance to work. 
• The most common main types of disability are musculoskeletal problems, especially with the back or neck, legs or feet, followed by heart, blood pressure and circulation problems. 
• For almost one in five persons with LSHPD, the cause is work-related.
  

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