Disability Identification Instruments in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries: A Literature Review of Prevalence, Populations, and Characteristics

International agreements require reducing and eliminating the exclusion faced by persons with disabilities. Achieving this goal depends on having reliable data on persons with disabilities, yet a wide variety of instruments are used to identify who is counted as disabled. This literature review aims to investigate different approaches to disability identification in terms of the prevalence rates they produce, the population they capture, and their defining characteristics. We searched five databases and identified fifteen studies conducted in an international development context. The results show that prevalence estimates and populations vary considerably across instruments. We inductively identify four main approaches to disability identification and discuss key characteristics of each. The results reiterate that there is no ‘gold standard’ for identifying disability; there are multiple conceptualizations of what disability is, each reflected in different instruments and assumptions. Promoting greater reflexivity amongst practitioners can foster transparency and accountability in data collection and use.