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

Figures & data

Figure 1. Image of a preprinted census form for the 1900 census, Bergunda parish in Kronobergs county.Source: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1900).Notes: The second column in the preprinted census form designed for the 1900 census shows information about occupation (yrke), ethnicity (stam), and disability (lyte) recorded by the minister. The header specifies what types of disabilities to register (i.e., “epilepsy”, “insanity”, “idiocy”, “blindness”, and “deaf-muteness”). As highlighted in the image, the minister in this parish has written “idiot” after one of his parishioners.

Table 1. The usage of different disability categories in Swedish national census reports (Statistiska Centralbyrån 1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) tabulated by marked cells per decennial report.

Disability category	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930
“Insanity” (sinnessjuk)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
“Idiocy” (idiot/sinnessvag)			x	x	x	x	x	x
“Blindness” (blind)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
“Deaf-muteness” (dövstum)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
“Epilepsy” (fallandesjuk)					x	x	x	x
“Cripple” (vanför)								x

Figure 2. Proportion (per thousand) of disabilities in Swedish populations per disability category in national censuses 1860 to 1930. Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969). Note: 1860 (N= 3,859,728); 1870 (N= 4,168,525); 1880 (N= 4,565,668); 1890 (N= 4,784,981); 1900 (N= 5,136,441); 1910 (N= 5,522,403); 1920 (N= 5,904,489); 1930 (N= 6,142,191).

Figure 3. Disability prevalence of men and women in rural and urban areas of Sweden, 1860 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 4. Prevalence of “insanity” in Swedish populations by gender in urban and rural areas, 1860 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 5. Prevalence of “idiocy” in Swedish populations by gender in rural and urban areas, 1880 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 6. Prevalence of “blindness” in Swedish populations by gender in rural and urban areas, 1860 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 7. Prevalence of “deaf-muteness” in Swedish populations by gender in rural and urban areas, 1860 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1865, 1874, 1885, 1895, 1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 8. Prevalence of “epilepsy” in Swedish populations by gender in rural and urban areas, 1900 to 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1907, 1918, 1925, 1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Figure 9. Prevalence of “crippleness” in Swedish populations by gender in rural and urban areas, 1930.Sources: Statistiska Centralbyrån (1936) and Historical Statistics of Sweden (1969).

Statistiska Centralbyrån. 1900. Församlingsboksutdrag [pre-printed census form for the 1900 census]. SE/RA/420401/08/H 1 AA/25. https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0061156_00030.

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