ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE:  Highlights

 

Health Insurance

Ability to Obtain Care

Access to Reproductive Health Care

Medical Professionals’ Knowledge

Interventions

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Health Insurance

 

The combined effect of unemployment, poverty, and single marital status make women with disabilities much less likely to have private health insurance than non-disabled women.

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Women with disabilities who have public or private health insurance often do not have coverage for certain prescription drugs, physical or occupational therapy, assistive devices, medical equipment, medical supplies, or in-home attendant care services.

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Nearly 15% of women with functional limitations in the 45-64 year age range have no health care coverage at all.

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Ability to Obtain Care

 

It is more difficult for women with disabilities than non-disabled women to obtain needed health services from both primary care physicians and specialists.

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Women with disabilities are more likely than non-disabled women to receive their usual medical care from specialists.

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Barriers to health care have a disproportionate negative effect on the health and longevity of women with disabilities compared to non-disabled women.

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Access to Reproductive Health Care

 

Women with disabilities are significantly less likely to receive information on contraceptive options or screening for sexually transmitted diseases than non-disabled women.

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Women with disabilities may be less likely to receive breast and cervical cancer screening, are diagnosed at later stages, and experience limitations in treatment options compared to non-disabled women. 

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Medical Professionals’ Knowledge of Women’s Health and Disability

 

Health care providers under any type of health care plan generally do an inadequate job of meeting the health information needs of women with disabilities.

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Women with disabilities from diverse ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientation may differ greatly in their definitions of health problems, health care seeking behaviors, and access to quality health care.

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Interventions to Promote Quality Health Care for Women with Disabilities

 

CROWD, Gynecological Concerns in the Care of Women with Physical Disabilities

 

AAMC Minimum Competencies for Primary Care Physicians

 

University of Alabama at Birmingham, reproductive health clinic for women with SCI

 

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Health Care Resources for Women with Disabilities

 

Magee Women’s Hospital, Center for Women with Physical Disabilities

 

Linda Mona’s sexuality center for people with disabilities, Philadelphia

 

Kathy Simpson of Planned Parenthood and Linskowsky of United Cerebral Palsy: Preparing women with cognitive impairments to go for a gynecologic exam.

 

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