Around 1.3 million people in the Czech Republic live with a disability that limits their ability to carry out everyday activities. More than half of them are senior citizens. Impairments of the musculoskeletal system are the most common.
In 2024, 15% of people over the age of 15 living in the Czech Republic experienced limitations in their usual activities due to long-term health problems. For half of them, health issues led to the granting of a disability pension, care allowance, or disability card. The greatest challenges in daily life were related to transport, housework, and shopping.
In old age, various illnesses occur more frequently and can lead to long-term restrictions. As a result, the number of people with disabilities increases in the older age groups. “While the proportion of people with disabilities in the under-40 age group was 3.5%, it was almost 60% in the over-80 age group,” says Helena Chodounská, Head of the Department of Education, Health, Culture, and Social Security at the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ).
A disability can manifest itself in one or more areas simultaneously. Impairments of the musculoskeletal system were the most common, affecting 952,000 people. Diseases of the internal organs affected the quality of life of 581,000 people, visual impairments affected 213,000, and hearing impairments affected 167,000 people. Mental illnesses affected 145,000 people, while 115,000 reported cognitive impairments. Speech or voice disorders affected 43,000 people and were mostly associated with other impairments.
Overall, 12% of people with disabilities (153,000 people) did not have access to suitable assistive devices. “827,000 people with disabilities (63%) received regular support—whether from relatives or professional care services. Nevertheless, 98,000 of those affected did not receive enough help or none at all, even though they needed it,” adds Markéta Pištorová from ČSÚ’s Department of Development Statistics. In 94% of cases, relatives provided the care. The most common reason for the lack of support was financial issues, with 23% of people with disabilities lacking sufficient resources.
In a large-scale study, the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) analysed survey data from 2023 and 2024. People aged 15 and over took part in the survey, which reflects the situation at the beginning of 2024.
