Study Highlights Health Care Inequities for Individuals with Disabilities

New research has uncovered significant disparities in health care experiences for individuals with disabilities compared to those without. Conducted by experts at Rutgers University and published in the journal Health Services Research, the study sheds light on critical issues regarding access to health care and the quality of interactions with health care providers.

According to the findings, people with disabilities face greater challenges in accessing health care and report more negative experiences with providers. The research utilized data from a nationally representative survey, which assessed patient satisfaction, the timeliness of care, and the nature of patient-provider interactions among U.S. adults. Alarmingly, individuals with disabilities rated their health care experiences significantly lower than their non-disabled counterparts.

Specifically, the study revealed that patients with disabilities were less likely to feel that their health care providers listened attentively, allocated sufficient time for consultations, offered comprehensible advice, or displayed respect during interactions. This gap in health care quality illustrates the pressing need for improvements in the system to cater effectively to the needs of disabled individuals.

Elizabeth Stone, a researcher associated with the Rutgers Institute for Health, stated that these findings underscore the urgency for health care systems to become more disability-competent. This is particularly crucial in light of recent legislative actions that threaten protections for disabled patients, such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs. An update to this Act in July 2024 aimed to enhance protections for disabled individuals in health care settings, yet it has faced legal challenges from several states.

The study also highlighted that individuals with multiple disabilities reported the lowest levels of satisfaction. Those with physical, cognitive, or multiple disabilities experienced markedly worse health care interactions than those with sensory disabilities. Stone emphasized that addressing these disparities requires tailored approaches that consider the unique needs of each individual while also advocating for structural changes within health care systems.

Co-authors of the study include Stephen Crystal, Hillary Samples, and Sofia Bonsignore, all affiliated with Rutgers University. Their collective expertise reinforces the importance of addressing health care inequities to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, receive fair and respectful treatment in health care settings.

For further details, refer to the study published in Health Services Research: Disabled Patients' Experiences of Healthcare Services in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Adults, DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14598.