The Disability Survey is a household survey that aims to provide statistical indicators on the characteristics of persons with disabilities and functional difficulties, their needs, the services provided to them, and the barriers that may affect their participation in society. The survey measures functional difficulties across a number of domains, including vision, hearing, mobility, communication, memory and concentration, and self-care, in accordance with an approved statistical methodology that supports decision-making and the development of policies and programs related to persons with disabilities.
Survey objectives
1. Identify the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of persons with disabilities and functional difficulties.
2. Measure functional difficulties across key domains, including vision, hearing, mobility, communication, memory and concentration, and self-care.
3. Monitor the needs of persons with disabilities for services, aids, assistive devices, and accommodations provided to them.
4. Provide statistical indicators to support relevant entities in developing services, programs, and policies for persons with disabilities.
Data collection tools
Key concepts
Types of functional difficulties or disabilities: Classification of functional difficulties according to the affected domain, such as hearing, mobility, and others.
Level of difficulty: The degree of difficulty in performing a function, classified as: no difficulty, some difficulty, a lot of difficulty, or cannot do at all.
Assistive devices and aids: Tools or technologies that help persons with disabilities or functional difficulties perform daily activities or improve their functioning.
Accessibility: The extent to which the environment, services, facilities, and information are designed and adapted to ensure that persons with disabilities can access and use them independently.
Community participation: The participation of persons with disabilities in education, employment, and social, cultural, and other activities on an equal basis with others.
Services provided to persons with disabilities: health, educational, rehabilitation, social, and other services aimed at supporting and empowering them.
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The survey measures functional difficulties across a number of domains, including vision, hearing, mobility, communication, memory and concentration, and self-care. It also covers topics related to services, education, employment, transportation, and accessibility.
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Measuring the prevalence of disability is not the primary objective of the survey, as it focuses primarily on studying the characteristics of persons with disabilities and functional difficulties, as well as their needs.
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The survey includes individuals living in households in accordance with the survey scope and the approved methodology. Appropriate questions are administered based on the respondent's age group and the applicable questionnaire path.
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Functional difficulties are difficulties that an individual may experience in performing basic functions, such as seeing, hearing, mobility, communication, memory and concentration, and self-care.
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Classification is based on the level of difficulty reported by the individual in the functional questions. Responses such as "some difficulty" indicate the presence of a functional difficulty, while higher levels, such as "a lot of difficulty" or "cannot do at all," are used to classify disability in accordance with the indicator methodology.
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The survey does not rely solely on a medical diagnosis. Instead, it uses questions that measure the functional difficulties an individual experiences in daily life, regardless of whether they have a medical diagnosis.
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The results are used to support planning and decision-making and to develop policies, programs, and services for persons with disabilities and functional difficulties.
Privacy Policy
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) is a government entity with an independent legal personality. It is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It provides statistical products in social, economic, and environmental fields to support policymakers and decision-makers in advancing the implementation of development plans.
You can contact us by clicking on contact us link in our website, or send an email to: info@stats.gov.sa
Date of last update:
The last update on the privacy notice was made on (update date).
What is personal data?
Any data, regardless of its source or form, that may lead to identifying an individual specifically, or that may directly or indirectly make it possible to identify an individual, including name, personal identification number, addresses, contact numbers, bank and credit card numbers, photos, and videos of an individual, and any other data of personal nature.
What personal data is collected?
Various types of personal data and information is collected, which cover all aspects of life in the Kingdom: (demographic, social, economic, environmental, and cultural), including but not limited to:
Full name, age/date of birth, sex, address, contact information (e.g.: email address and phone numbers), ID number, marital status, current job information, previous job information, information about dependents/spouse/household.
How is personal data collected and what is the purpose?
Personal data is collected and obtained "directly or indirectly", using various methods, which include:
- Direct methods of obtaining personal data:
- Field visit to the household or establishment by GASTAT’s staff or one of its representatives.
- Phone call by GASTAT’s staff through the unified phone number: 199009.
- Self-completion on GASTAT’s website.
Indirect methods of obtaining personal data:
Collect cookies and data on how you use our site, including your visit date and time, and the type of browser you use.
By collecting data, GASTAT aims to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, i.e., any personal data collected, whether it belongs to the individual, or on behalf of another individual, will be used for statistical purposes and the production of official statistics.
How do we use your personal data?
We use personal data collected directly or indirectly to produce official statistics that serve the public interest, and support policymakers and decision makers in advancing the implementation of development plans. GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for implementing, supervising, and regulating the statistical work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
How do we share your personal data?
Your personal information won't be given to any third party for the purpose of direct marketing. We are also dedicated to protecting the confidentiality of all Saudi Arabia’s resident data, and not disclosing it. GASTAT abides by the participation guidelines that the regulators have approved. We also pledge to enforce the laws governing data confidentiality, non-disclosure, and personal data protection vigorously and strictly.
The legal basis for collecting and processing personal data:
According to the policy of personal data protection issued by the National Data Management Office, the legal basis for collecting and processing personal data is:
- our explicit consent, and you can withdraw your consent at any time except for some exceptions explained above, and to do so you can contact the Data Governance Department.
- Legal Obligation: The regulations and bylaws in force - including Royal and High Orders - are a legal basis on which GASTAT can rely if the collection and processing of personal data is necessary to comply with these statutory requirements.
- Public Interest: Statistics collected from personal data aim to support policymakers, and decision makers to advance the implementation of Saudi Arabia's development plans.
How do we store your personal data?
Your personal data is stored securely in the technical assets of GASTAT in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Your personal data is kept for a specified period, after which we dispose of this data securely so that it cannot be accessed or restored again, based on GASTAT’s data preservation and destruction policy.
Rights of personal data owner:
Under the personal data policy, you have the following rights, which depend primarily on the purpose of collecting and processing personal data:
- Right to access personal data: you have the right to request a copy of your personal data, such data will be provided to you within seven working days via email DPO@stats.gov.sa.
- Right to dispose personal data: you have the right to request the disposal of your personal data in certain circumstances that do not contradict with the legal basis based on which data was collected.
- Right to restrict data processing: you can restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances and for specific period of time.
- Right to object to processing: you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data that is not inconsistent with the legal basis.
- Right to transfer your personal data: you have the right to ask us to transfer your personal data - collected directly from you - to another party, or to deliver it to you for a fee. This right cannot be exercised if your consent is the legal basis for processing.
Except as otherwise specified, you are not required to pay any fees for exercising these rights, and in the event that a request is made to exercise one of these rights, you will be responded to within (7 days) from the request date.
Furthermore, it should be stressed here that some of these rights (the right to data disposal, the right to data transfer, and the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights but rather depend on the primary purpose and the legal basis mentioned earlier. Other than that, they are regarded as absolute rights.
For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer at GASTAT using the contact information provided below:
Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa
Except as stipulated, you are not required to pay any fee for the exercise of these rights, and if an application is made to exercise one of these rights you will be answered within (7 days) of the date of application.
It must also be emphasized here that some of these rights (the right to destroy data, the right to transmit data, the right to object to processing) are not absolute rights, but rather depend on the main purpose and statutory basis referred to earlier, and otherwise are absolute rights.
For more details about the processing of your personal data and how to exercise your rights, you can contact the Authority's Personal Data Protection Officer according to the contact data below:
Email: DPO@stats.gov.sa
How to submit a complaint?
If you have any complaints or issues regarding our adherence to the National Data Management Office's policy regarding the protection of personal data, you can contact the Data Governance Department via email at info@stats.gov.sa.
You can email the GASTAT’s Data Governance Department at DPO@stats.gov.sa to file a complaint if you are dissatisfied with how we handled your complaint or if we did not reply to you within three working days.
If GASTAT’s Data Governance Department does not resolve your complaint within 7 days, you may also file a complaint with the National Data Management Office about how we use your personal data.
Address of National Data Management Office:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.
Website: Complaints (sdaia.gov.sa)