Disability as an indicator of competitiveness and as a factor of the economic potential of sustainable development of the regions of the North

The article examines disability as an indicator of the competitiveness of the regions of the North. Based on the analysis of disability indicators, it was determined that disability as a social phenomenon is inherent in all northern regions. The main economic aspect of disability is the termination of work when disability is established at working age, which causes serious economic damage to the state and is a determining factor in regional competitiveness. Disability is the most important indicator of human health, and the health of the population is a determining factor in the competitiveness of a region, since it contributes to a decrease in the quantitative characteristics of resources for labor activity. Hence, it is most often viewed in the context of negative transformations in the composition of the population. Researchers include the following reasons contributing to the growth of disability: environmental degradation; changes in the age structure of the population towards its aging; unfavorable working conditions by industry and by region; an increase in the number of chronic diseases; the growth of household and transport injuries; Lifestyle. In each region, the number and ratio of these factors is different. Eliminating these reasons will help reduce the growth in the number of disabled people, restore their ability to work and increase the competitiveness of the regions.