Level of educational attainment and school dropout rates of people with disability in Denmark.

AIMS: Education is linked to health outcomes, and health selection processes may shape educational trajectories among people with disabilities. This study examines educational attainment and school dropout patterns among people with physical and mental disabilities.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from a nationally representative survey of Danish adults (N=18,749). Participants included individuals with physical disability only (n=4047), mental disability only (n=888), and both physical and mental disabilities (n=745).

RESULTS

Compared with individuals without disabilities, those with disabilities had significantly lower levels of educational attainment and were less likely to participate in higher education. Participants with only physical disability (odds ratio (OR) 0.71, confidence interval (CI) 0.66-0.77), only mental disability (OR 0.64, CI 0.54-0.76), and both physical and mental disabilities (OR 0.46, CI 0.39-0.54) had lower odds of completing higher education compared with individuals without disabilities. A similar pattern was observed for dropout. Participants with physical (OR 1.47, CI 1.35-1.61), mental (OR 2.61, CI 2.22-3.07), and both physical and mental disabilities (OR 3.26, CI 2.78-3.84) had higher odds of dropping out. Moreover, early-onset disability (before age 25 years) was associated with lower odds of higher education completion compared with adult-onset disability (OR 1.16, CI 1.00-1.35).

CONCLUSIONS

Disability remains a major barrier to accessing and completing higher education, particularly when disability occurs early in life. Although higher education is free in Denmark and students with disabilities receive financial support, further measures are needed to close the educational gap.