Behind the numbers: Authorities’ approach to measuring disability in Swedish populations from 1860 to 1930

Abstract This study investigates the main features of collected disability statistics for the censuses in Sweden, 1860–1930, when the disability prevalence rose from four to 21 individuals per thousand of the population. We use qualitative methods to analyze the means of collecting, categorizing, and defining disability, while quantitative methods help us calculate the prevalence by disability type and gender in urban and rural areas. Our long-term findings reveal that this increase reflects new approaches whereby authorities applied alternative methods to collect disability data, using additional sources, wider definitions, and introducing new disability categories. The temporal variations in disability prevalence were influenced by the social and political context and normative views on who was considered disabled or not.