Discapacidad y enfermedades crónicas

Una discapacidad o enfermedad crónica se define ampliamente como una condición de salud continua que limita las actividades diarias de una persona o su capacidad para interactuar con el mundo que la rodea en igualdad de condiciones con los demás. A medida que la población de la UE envejece, aumenta el número de personas que viven con discapacidades o enfermedades crónicas. Para los numerosos europeos con discapacidad o enfermedad crónica, existen muchos obstáculos que les impiden participar plenamente en la vida cotidiana, y el acceso al mercado laboral sigue siendo uno de los principales desafíos. Promover la inclusión activa y los derechos de las personas con discapacidad o enfermedades crónicas en la sociedad es una prioridad para la agenda de la UE.

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12 November 2025

Paths towards independent living and social inclusion in Europe for people with a disability - Background paper
Marie Hylandand 2 other authors
This background paper looks at the EU policy context regarding deinstitutionalisation for people with long-term care needs, analyses trends and outlines strategies supporting independent living.
Artículo

4 February 2025

Respondents with disabilities hit harder by unmet medical needs
Daphné Chédorge-Farnier,
Daphne Ahrendt
Eurofound’s 2024 e-survey shows that people with disabilities in Europe are more than twice as likely as others to face unmet medical needs, with 40% reporting barriers in accessing healthcare. Financial situation, age, employment status and limited transport, especially in rural areas, are among the main reasons, underscoring persistent inequalities despite EU commitments to equal treatment.
Otro

13 January 2025

Quality of life in the EU in 2024: Results from the Living and Working in the EU e-survey
Daphne Ahrendtand 3 other authors

Eurofound’s e-survey captures the situation of European respondents and their post-pandemic concerns. This factsheet outlines the most recent data on the main challenges faced by Europeans, with a particular emphasis on the rising cost of living, health and mental health, access to healthcare services, work–life balance, and changes in telework opportunities. View the publication or read the findings in digital format via the related content.

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Puntos destacados para Discapacidad y enfermedades crónicas

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13 January 2025

Otro

Quality of life in the EU in 2024: Results from the Living and Working in the EU e-survey

Eurofound’s e-survey captures the situation of European respondents and their post-pandemic concerns. This factsheet outlines the most recent data on the main challenges faced by Europeans, with a particular emphasis on the rising cost of living, health and mental health, access to healthcare services, work–life balance, and changes in telework opportunities. View the publication or read the findings in digital format via the related content.

21 March 2022

Resumen de políticas

People with disabilities and the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey

A new European Disability Strategy was launched in 2021 with the aim of intensifying progress on ensuring the full participation of people with  disabilities in society. The increase of EU policy focus on people with disabilities is timely: the COVID-19 pandemic magnified the challenges they faced in many spheres of their lives.

This policy brief explores the situation of Europeans with disabilities during the pandemic. Using data from the third round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey, conducted in February–March 2021, it compares the situation of respondents with and without disabilities in four areas: access to healthcare, mental well-being, financial situation and optimism about the future. The analyses show that on all indicators the situation of people with disabilities was significantly worse.

18 April 2021

Informe de investigación

Disability and labour market integration: Policy trends and support in EU Member States

This report examines policy developments in EU Member States aimed at supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the open labour market, with a particular focus on the three stages of entering into employment, staying in the job and returning to work after an absence. It explores the mechanisms and effectiveness of more than 150 different policy measures designed to address the dimensions in place in the EU before the COVID-19 pandemic: job creation, labour supply, labour demand and contextual factors. In addition, it provides an updated analysis of early policy measures created in the wake of the pandemic that aimed to support the labour market situation of people with disabilities. A country case study on Ireland complements the study by outlining the complexity of disability and support systems from a broader perspective. The report builds on the lessons learned and provides policy pointers to improve the integration of people with disabilities into the open labour market.

8 October 2020

Informe de investigación

Access to care services: Early childhood education and care, healthcare and long-term care

The right of access to good-quality care services is highlighted in the European Pillar of Social Rights. This report focuses on three care services: early childhood education and care (ECEC), healthcare, and long-term care. Access to these services has been shown to contribute to reducing inequalities throughout the life cycle and achieving equality for women and persons with disabilities. Drawing on input from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents and Eurofound’s own research, the report presents an overview of the current situation in various EU Member States, Norway and the UK, outlining barriers to the take-up of care services and differences in access issues between population groups. It pays particular attention to three areas that have the potential to improve access to services: ECEC for children with disabilities and special educational needs, e-healthcare and respite care.

15 October 2019

Resumen de políticas

How to respond to chronic health problems in the workplace?

The number of workers living with chronic health conditions is rising in the EU. Such conditions affect people’s ability to work to varying degrees. While some are unable to continue working, many wish to and would be able to do so if their workplace made adaptations to accommodate their needs. Maintaining labour force participation is a key issue for policymakers in the context of demographic ageing and a falling working-age population.
This policy brief examines chronic disease in EU workplaces: its prevalence, the impact on ability to work, the extent that workplaces are making adjustments for workers with chronic disease and the effect of that on job quality. It finds that most workers with a chronic disease that limits their ability to work do not benefit from workplace accommodation. It also finds that such adaptations can have a positive impact on the quality and sustainability of work.

30 November 2018

Resumen de políticas

Social and employment situation of people with disabilities

People with disabilities are among the most disadvantaged groups in the EU. This policy brief examines the social situation of people of working age with disabilities, using data from the 2011 and 2016 rounds of the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS). The brief looks at changes over this period in employment, education and training, participation in society, social protection and healthcare, all priority areas of the European Disability Strategy. The brief also looks at the subjective well-being of this group of Europeans and examines the factors that influence their well-being. Among its policy pointers, the brief highlights the work that must be done to improve the employment situation of people with disabilities.

Expertos en Discapacidad y enfermedades crónicas

Los investigadores de Eurofound proporcionan conocimientos expertos y se les puede contactar para preguntas o solicitudes de los medios de comunicación.

Daphne Ahrendt

Senior research manager
Social policies research

Daphne Ahrendt es directora de investigación sénior en la unidad de Políticas Sociales de Eurofound. Desde que se incorporó a Eurofound en 2013, su trabajo ha abarcado una amplia gama de ámbitos de política social. En la actualidad, coordina la actividad de gestión y desarrollo de encuestas de Eurofound y dirige la preparación y el análisis de las encuestas electrónicas COVID-19. Daphne tiene más de 20 años de experiencia como investigadora trabajando en encuestas internacionales, habiendo trabajado anteriormente en la Unidad del Eurobarómetro de la Comisión Europea y en el Centro Nacional de Investigación Social de Londres, donde trabajó en el Programa Internacional de Encuestas Sociales. Daphne tiene una maestría en Políticas de Justicia Penal de la London School of Economics y una licenciatura en Ciencias Políticas de la Universidad Estatal de San Francisco.

Oscar Vargas Llave

Senior research manager
Working life research

Oscar Vargas Llave is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and manages projects on changes in the world of work and the impact on working conditions and related policies: organisation of working time, remote work, the right to disconnect, health and well-being and ageing. Before joining Eurofound in December 2009, he worked as project coordinator in the field of health and safety and was responsible for the Professional Card Scheme for the Construction Sector in Spain at the non-profit Fundación Laboral de la Construcción in Madrid. He has a background in industrial sociology (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca), and also holds a Diploma in Social Science Research Methods from the University of Cardiff and a Master’s degree in Health and Safety from the Autonomous University of Madrid.

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The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies