Study: Understanding quality of life among persons with disabilities in Canada—material and social well-being
Released: 2026-10-14
In 2022, almost one in three persons with disabilities (31%) lived in a home that experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in Canada. More than 1 in 10 (12%) persons with disabilities reported being housebound due to their condition, and almost two-thirds (64%) reported being lonely. These proportions were higher among those with very severe disabilities.
A new study released today in Insights on Canadian Society, entitled "Understanding quality of life among persons with disabilities in Canada: Material and social well-being" uses data from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability to explore four indicators from the Quality of Life Framework that are relevant to the lived experiences of persons with disabilities in Canada: food insecurity, core housing need, being housebound, and loneliness.
Nearly one in three persons with disabilities live in households experiencing food insecurity
In 2022, close to one in three (31%) persons with disabilities lived in households that experienced food insecurity. Specifically, 19% of persons with disabilities lived in households considered moderately food insecure, while 12% lived in households that were considered severely food insecure.
Persons with disabilities aged 25 to 44 were slightly more than twice as likely to be food insecure (41%) as their counterparts aged 65 to 84 (20%).
Fluctuation or aggravation of a health condition are the most common reasons for being housebound
In 2022, more than 1 in 10 persons with disabilities (12%) reported being housebound due to their condition. Among those who reported being often or always housebound, the most common reasons were their condition or health problem fluctuating (60%), or aggravating when outside the home (59%). In addition, over half (52%) of persons with disabilities who were often or always housebound reported that mobility restrictions were keeping them at home.
Loneliness is associated with food insecurity and being housebound
With far-reaching effects on personal well-being, loneliness has increasingly been recognized in recent years as a growing public health challenge. In 2022, almost two in three (64%) persons with disabilities reported being lonely. As the severity of disability increased, so too did the prevalence of loneliness. For example, 55% of persons with mild disabilities reported being lonely, while the percentage was higher among those with moderate (63%), severe (71%) and very severe (78%) disabilities.
The prevalence of loneliness is shaped by multiple factors and can be related to other well-being indicators. For instance, persons with disabilities who were food insecure reported significantly higher levels of loneliness (79%) than those who were food secure (57%).
Housebound persons with disabilities were more likely to report being lonely (88%) than those who did not consider themselves to be housebound (61%). Housebound individuals are at an elevated risk of social isolation and loneliness, driven primarily by limited opportunities for social engagement.
Note to readers
This study is based on data from the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD).
Moderate or severe food insecurity: In the CSD, households are classified as either being food secure, moderately food insecure, or severely food insecure. This is a derived variable in the survey based on a series of questions related to: running out of food and/or limited selection of food due to a lack of money; compromise in the quality or quantity of food due to a lack of money; and skipping meals due to a lack of money.
Housebound: In the survey, respondents were asked whether they considered themselves to be housebound, based on the following definition: "You are considered housebound when you are unable to leave your home environment due to your condition. Exclude being housebound due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions imposed by government or public health officials." The available responses were: "no", "rarely", "sometimes", "often", "always". In this article, being housebound is defined as often or always housebound.
Loneliness is a derived variable based on questions related to lacking companionship; feeling left out; and feeling isolated from others.
Severity of disability is based on a global severity score calculated using various questions in the survey. It is important to note that the name assigned to each class is not a label or judgment concerning the person's level of disability.
Products
The study titled "Understanding quality of life among persons with disabilities in Canada: Material and social well-being" is now available in Insights on Canadian Society (75-006-X).
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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