According to a recent World Health Organization report, people with disabilities have a higher risk of premature death and illness than people without disabilities do.
The global report on health equity for people with disabilities, which was released today, demonstrates that many people with disabilities run the risk of passing away much sooner than people without disabilities—by as much as 20 years.
They run a higher risk of contracting chronic illnesses, with risks for asthma, depression, diabetes, obesity, oral diseases, and stroke up to twice as high. Many of the differences in health outcomes are caused by avoidable, unfair, and unjust factors rather than the underlying health condition or impairment.
The report, which was released in advance of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, reveals that there are now 1.3 billion people worldwide who have significant disabilities (or 1 in 6 people). This statistic emphasises how crucial it is to ensure that people with disabilities participate fully and effectively in all facets of society and to ensure that the health sector upholds the principles of inclusion, accessibility, and non-discrimination.
Unfair factors: a key cause of disparities in health
The report emphasises the necessity of taking immediate action to address the significant health inequities brought on by unjust and unfair factors in health systems. These elements — which are responsible for a large portion of the variations in health outcomes between people with and without disabilities — could include:
- negative attitudes of healthcare providers,
- health information in formats that cannot be understood, or
- difficulties accessing a health centre due to the physical environment, lack of transport or financial barriers.
“Health systems should be alleviating the challenges that people with disabilities face, not adding to them,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “This report shines a light on the inequities that people with disabilities face in trying to access the care they need. WHO is committed to supporting countries with the guidance and tools they need to ensure all people with disabilities have access to quality health services.”
Addressing health inequities may be difficult because an estimated 80% of people with disabilities reside in low- and middle-income countries with few health services. However, despite having few resources, much can be accomplished.
Opportunities for a disability-inclusive health sector
The report offers crucial economic analysis of adopting a disability-inclusive strategy, acknowledging that everyone has the same right to the highest practicable standard of health. It demonstrates the value of funding a health sector that is accessible to people with disabilities.
According to WHO estimates, governments can anticipate a return of roughly $10 for every dollar spent on noncommunicable disease prevention and care that includes people with disabilities. Additionally, when put into practise in a way that includes people with disabilities, family planning and vaccination are both cost-effective.
Targeted and comprehensive actions across the health sector
The report recommends 40 actions for governments to take in the health sector, based on the most recent data from academic studies as well as discussions with nations and civil society, including organisations that advocate for people with disabilities. These initiatives range from improving the physical infrastructure to training healthcare professionals, depending on the available resources.
There are three ways that ensuring health equity for people with disabilities can advance global health priorities:
- health equity for all is critical towards achieving universal health coverage;
- inclusive public health interventions that are administered equitably across different sectors can contribute to healthier populations; and
- advancing health equity for persons with disabilities is a central component in all efforts to protect everyone in health emergencies.
Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, WHO Director for Noncommunicable Diseases, stated that everyone benefits when health disparities for people with disabilities are addressed. “Attacks that target the persistent challenges to disability inclusion in the health sector can benefit older people, people with noncommunicable diseases, migrants and refugees, or other frequently unreached populations.”
She added: “We urge governments, health partners and civil society to ensure all health sector actions are inclusive of persons with disabilities so that they can enjoy their right to the highest standard of health.”
