Disparities in Healthcare Access for Adults with Disabilities Exposed During COVID-19 Pandemic

A national study, led by researchers from the University of Delaware and George Mason University, has revealed significant disparities in healthcare access for adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, analyzed data from over 150,000 U.S. adults between 2019 and 2023. The findings highlight that adults with disabilities were more likely to delay or forgo preventive care, including essential screenings for conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose, which are crucial in preventing heart disease.

Key Takeaways:

• Adults with disabilities were more likely to delay or forgo preventive care during the pandemic, even when accounting for changes in income, employment, insurance, and other economic factors.
• Screenings for conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose declined across most disability groups.
• Among adults with cognitive disabilities, blood pressure screening rates fell from 89% in 2019 to 83% in 2021, while blood glucose screenings among adults with multiple disabilities dropped from 83.9% to 78.4%.
• Adults with cognitive and physical disabilities were significantly more likely to report unmet medical needs due to cost, and these disparities persisted even after adjusting for pandemic-related socioeconomic changes.
• The study suggests that the pandemic exacerbated preexisting inequities for people with disabilities, who are already at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease.
• Long-standing structural barriers in the healthcare system, including inaccessible facilities, limited provider training, communication challenges, and uneven access to telehealth and transportation services, contribute to these disparities.
• The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the unique healthcare needs of adults with disabilities.

Statistics:

• More than 150,000 U.S. adults were analyzed in the study.
• 89% of adults with cognitive disabilities received blood pressure screenings in 2019, but this decreased to 83% in 2021.
• 83.9% of adults with multiple disabilities received blood glucose screenings in 2019, but this decreased to 78.4% in 2021.
• 25% of adults with cognitive and physical disabilities reported unmet medical needs due to cost.

Sources:

• "Disparities in Healthcare Access for Adults with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic," American Journal of Preventive Medicine, [1]. NewsRx LLC, 2025.