Opening Statement:
Up to 1 in 4 (27 percent) adults in the United States have some type of a disability. People with disabilities are also more likely to face social isolation. This issue carries its own health risks, including increased risk of death. Additionally, when a person’s disability includes a mobility impairment, one main issue that can occur is decreased physical activity and socialization isolation. As opportunities for socialization are decreased based on an individual’s ability to navigate their physical surroundings, depression and anxiety can also develop. Having a developmental disability also makes it challenging and sometimes impossible to work successfully in business environment settings leading to only low paying jobs available to these individuals. There are so many factors that impact individuals with disabilities that lead to needing assistance financially and supportively that do and will continue to impact all Americans. All Americans should be more educated when it relates to disabilities and be more caring, patient, and compassionate out in the community and various workplaces.
Various Facts and Statistics
Percentage Of Adults with Functional Disability Types:
· 12.1 percent of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
· 12.8 percent of U.S. adults have a cognition disability with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
· 7.2 percent of U.S. adults have an independent living disability with difficulty doing errands alone.
· 6.1 percent of U.S. adults are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
· 4.8 percent of U.S. adults have a vision disability with blindness or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses.
· 3.6 percent of U.S. adults have a self-care disability with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Disability and Health
Adults with disabilities are more likely to have obesity, smoke, have heart disease, and have diabetes:
· 41.6 percent of adults with a disability are obese while 29.6 percent of adults without a disability are obese.
· 21.9 percent of adults with a disability smoke while 10.9 percent of adults without a disability smoke.
· 9.6 percent of adults with a disability have heart disease while 3.4 percent of adults without a disability have heart disease.
· 15.9 percent of adults with a disability have diabetes while 7.6 percent of adults without a disability have diabetes.
Disability and Health Care Access
Health care access barriers for working-age adults include:
· 1 in 4 adults with disabilities 18 to 44 years do not have a usual health care provider
· 1 in 4 adults with disabilities 18 to 44 years have an unmet health care need because of cost in the past year
· 1 in 5 adults with disabilities 45 to 64 years did not have a routine check-up in the past year
What is Disability Inclusion?
· Including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability is disability inclusion. This involves more than simply encouraging people; it requires making sure that adequate policies and practices are in effect in a community or organization.
· Inclusion should lead to increased participation in socially expected life roles and activities—such as being a student, worker, friend, community member, patient, spouse, partner, or parent.
· Socially expected activities may also include engaging in social activities, using public resources such as transportation and libraries, moving about within communities, receiving adequate health care, having relationships, and enjoying other day-to-day activities.
Disability Inclusion and the Health of People with Disabilities
· Disability inclusion allows for people with disabilities to take advantage of the benefits of the same health promotion and prevention activities experienced by people who do not have a disability.
Examples Of These Activities Include:
· Education and counselling programs that promote physical activity, improve nutrition, or reduce the use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs
· Blood pressure and cholesterol assessment during annual health exams, and screening for illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
· Including people with disabilities in these activities begins with identifying and eliminating barriers to their participation.
One In Four American Adults Has a Disability.
Why is This Important?
· Disability affects approximate 61 million, or nearly 1 in 4 (27%) people in the United States living in communities. Disability affects more than one billion people worldwide.
· According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people “. . . with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory [such as hearing or vision] impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”
People With Disabilities Experience Significant Disadvantages When It Comes to Health Such As:
1. Adults with disabilities are three times more likely to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer than adults without disabilities
2. Adults with disabilities are more likely than adults without disabilities to be current smokers
3. Women with disabilities are less likely than women without disabilities to have received a breast cancer X-ray test (mammogram) during the past 2 years
4. Although disability is associated with health conditions (such as arthritis, mental, or emotional conditions) or events (such as injuries), the functioning, health, independence, and engagement in society of people with disabilities can vary depending on several factors such as:
a. Severity of the underlying impairment
b. Social, political, and cultural influences and expectations
c. Aspects of natural and built surroundings
d. Availability of assistive technology and devices
e. Family and community support and interaction
Closing Statement:
Disability inclusion is extremely important and to understand the true relationship between the way people function and how they participate in society, and making sure everybody has the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life to the best of their ability and desires. Promoting healthy living, monitoring public health data, continued research, and reducing health discrepancies is also very important for everyone to be aware of and to become more educated on. It should start early and taught in schools, at home, and should continue in the workplace.
Source of Information: CDC Published Articles and Various Google Searches
Until Next Week, Stay Safe and Well!
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