Researchers at the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University are urging the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to recognize the health disparities faced by people with disabilities. They say that people with disabilities face several barriers to accessing healthcare, including physical, attitudinal, and communication barriers. They also experience inequities in healthcare quality and access due to inadequate professional training, knowledge, and reimbursement for accommodations. The researchers say that recognizing health disparities is the first step to mitigating these inequities and enhancing health outcomes. They also suggest that clinicians and policymakers need metrics to effectively gauge structural ableism and the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities.
Researchers at the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins University are urging the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies to recognize the health disparities faced by people with disabilities.
The researchers argue that people with disabilities face several barriers to accessing healthcare, including physical, attitudinal, and communication barriers. They also experience inequities in healthcare quality and access due to inadequate professional training, knowledge, and reimbursement for accommodations.
In addition, medical spaces often lack the necessary accessibility for people with disabilities. This can lead to patients having to weigh themselves at unconventional locations, such as supermarkets, grain elevators, cattle processing plants, or even zoos.
The researchers say that recognizing health disparities is the first step to mitigating these inequities and enhancing health outcomes. They also suggest that clinicians and policymakers need metrics to effectively gauge structural ableism and the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities.
Finally, the researchers underscore the value of local partnerships with the disability community to ensure inclusivity and honor the diversity of disability experiences in research.
Recognition of Health Disparities
The researchers argue that the NIH and other federal agencies need to recognize the health disparities faced by people with disabilities. They say that this is the first step to mitigating these inequities and enhancing health outcomes.
The researchers point to several factors that contribute to health disparities for people with disabilities. These include:
- Physical barriers to accessing healthcare, such as inaccessible medical facilities
- Attitudinal barriers, such as negative attitudes about people with disabilities from healthcare providers
- Communication barriers, such as a lack of sign language interpreters or other accommodations for people with hearing or language impairments
- Inadequate professional training, knowledge, and reimbursement for accommodations
Metrics for Measuring Structural Ableism
The researchers suggest that clinicians and policymakers need metrics to effectively gauge structural ableism and the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities. They say that these metrics could align with those used for addressing racial disparities, yet they should also be specific to disability experiences.
For instance, self-reported experiences of unfair treatment could be adapted to measure structural ableism. In housing, metrics might consider instances of mortgage denial. Moreover, it’s crucial to account for accessibility in the built environment, such as the prevalence of wheelchair-accessible curb cuts or intersections with audible crosswalk signals, in a given area.
Additionally, metrics such as the proportion of people with disabilities who are institutionalized in a region could also be included. These nuanced measures would present a clearer picture of the structural barriers that this community faces and guide the path toward enhanced inclusivity and equity.
The Value of Local Partnerships
The researchers also underscore the value of local partnerships with the disability community to ensure inclusivity and honor the diversity of disability experiences in research.
They say that researchers, advocates, and policymakers will have to partner with a wide range of people in the disability community to ensure that efforts are inclusive of the diversity of disability experiences.
“True partnership requires eliminating barriers to participation by people with disabilities in efforts related to science, technology, engineering, and math; it also means promoting the inclusion of researchers and clinicians with disabilities,” Valdez and Swenor continued. “This approach honors a long-time motto of the disability community: nothing about us without us.”
By examining existing disparities and their causes, researchers stated it could stimulate critical dialogues, allocate resources, and nurture a strong commitment to change.
