Non-disabled Counterparts Research Articles

Natural Disaster Vulnerability Among People with Disabilities: Insights from the 2024 Household Pulse Survey

BackgroundNatural disasters pose global challenges, with their frequency and severity increasing annually, impacting communities worldwide. People with disabilities are disproportionately vulnerable to experiencing adverse mental health outcomes in the aftermath of such events, yet this critical issue remains inadequately studied. ObjectiveThis paper examines the impact of natural disasters on people with disabilities, focusing on their displacement patterns and mental well-being, to enhance our understanding of health vulnerabilities and the specific needs in emergency response. MethodsData from the nationally representative 2024 Household Pulse Survey were analyzed to assess the duration of displacement and the severity of mental distress among individuals with and without disabilities following natural disasters. Generalized Estimating Equations were employed to predict post-disaster outcomes, adjusting for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and household structure. ResultsIndividuals with vision disabilities (CI: 0.024–0.137) and those with multiple disabilities (CI: 0.020–0.068) experienced significantly longer periods of displacement compared to non-disabled people. Additionally, people with cognitive disabilities reported significantly higher levels of mental distress than their non-disabled counterparts (CI: 0.149–0.236). ConclusionFindings from this study demonstrate the need for specialized disaster response protocols that prioritize accessibility, mental health support, and targeted assistance for different disability types. Future emergency preparedness policies should incorporate disability-specific considerations, including enhanced evacuation planning, accessible mental health services, and strengthened community support systems. Disaster response frameworks must evolve to address these documented vulnerabilities, ensuring equitable support for all community members during and after natural disasters.

Ableism in mental healthcare settings: A qualitative study among U.S. adults with disabilities

People with disabilities (PWD) face elevated mental health concerns and are more likely to utilize mental health services compared to their nondisabled counterparts, yet they also report higher unmet mental health service needs due to myriad attitudinal and environmental barriers to accessing care. Despite these well-documented disparities, little research has examined the nuanced lived experiences of PWD who receive mental health services. Drawing upon semi-structured interviews with 20 U.S. adults with disabilities who were diverse in race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity, the present research examined the various structural and interpersonal processes through which ableism undermines the perceived effectiveness and relevance of mental health services. Reflexive thematic analysis identified six themes that characterized participants' ableism experiences in mental healthcare settings, including misplaced assumptions about the impact of disability on mental health, medical trauma and gaslighting, interpersonal ableism, lack of disability knowledge, accessibility challenges, and systematic ableism. These findings highlight the importance of centering PWD's voices in disability-affirmative mental health research and underscore important clinical considerations for fostering accessible and inclusive mental health services.

Ethical Leadership Promotes Positive Work Outcomes Among Employees With Disabilities

People with disabilities are more likely to be both unemployed and under-employed compared to their non-disabled counterparts (Shahidi et al., 2023), and as such it is important to focus on what may make this cohort more likely to stay, and thrive, at work. Because research supports an association between leadership and employee behaviour (Domfeh et al., 2016), and given the characteristics of ethical leadership (i.e., treat people fairly, create inclusive environments where diversity is embraced; Walumbwa & Schaubroeck, 2009), this style of leadership may be especially important when it comes to employees with disabilities. Thus, the purpose of the current research is to examine the association between ethical leadership and turnover intentions and motivation to lead among employees with disabilities. More specifically, it is proposed that loneliness will moderate the relationship between ethical leadership and turnover intentions, and that self-compassion will moderate the relationship between ethical leadership and motivation to lead. This study consisted of 223 participants, recruited through Prolific (all of whom self-identified as having a disability and working with a leader). Results suggest that ethical leadership is negatively related to turnover intentions, and that loneliness moderates the relationship between ethical leadership and employee turnover intentions. Ethical leadership was not associated with motivation to lead, and self-compassion did not moderate this relationship. Investigating the effect that ethical leaders may have on employees with disabilities is an important avenue for future research, and has implications for organizations, leaders, and employees alike.

Disability, recruitment and job retention: Identifying barriers and facilitators from the employers' point of view.

Despite increased public awareness of the professional, integration of people with disabilities, they encounter more difficulties than their non-disabled counterparts in accessing employment. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the barriers and facilitators to hiring and retaining people with disabilities from the perspective of employers in the private and public sector in France. This was a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with forty-two employers from public structures or private companies. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used as a guideline to secure accurate and complete reporting of the study. Among barriers we found that 1. Stereotypes persist about disability, still associated with lower productivity and dangerous behaviour; 2. Disabilities were associated with costs that were considered too high; 3. Disabilities management was seen as an administrative burden. 4. The bumps of inclusion. We also highlighted facilitators such as 1. A public sector is a more favourable environment 2. Employer's personal motivation to hire people with disabilities; 3. The support by Job Coaches was seen as a powerful facilitator. The decision to hire people with disabilities depends on many personal, societal and organisational factors. This study has contributed to a better understanding of their interrelationships and could be useful in developing more effective strategies for the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Circumstantial variables preceding firearm suicide among females with and without mobility disability in the USA: comparative analysis using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System

BackgroundMobility disability impacts approximately 12% of the US population; females are overrepresented among persons with mobility disability. Those with mobility disability are at increased risk of suicide compared with their...

Disability and Non-Disability in the Labour Market (the Case of Central Sulawesi), Indonesia

Objectives: This study investigates the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, a region where adults with disabilities comprise 40.6% of the population, significantly higher than the national average. Despite constitutional guarantees against discrimination and the right to employment, people with disabilities face substantial barriers in accessing the labor market. The study aims to examine the labor market participation rate of individuals with disabilities compared to their non-disabled counterparts, highlighting socio-demographic factors that influence employment opportunities. Methods: Utilizing data from the August 2021 SAKERNAS survey, this quantitative research analyzes labor market indicators for 16,985 individuals of working age (15 years or older) across 6,200 sample households in Central Sulawesi Province. The study employs the definitions and concepts of employment from the International Conference of Labor Statisticians (ICLS) to ensure consistency and accuracy in data interpretation. Results: Findings reveal that only 10.62% of the working-age population in Central Sulawesi have disabilities. However, this group encounters lower labor participation and higher rates of exclusion from economic activities compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Educational attainment, type, and severity of disability significantly affect employment prospects. Notably, individuals with visual impairments have slightly better employment opportunities than those with other disabilities, which aligns with international findings. Conclusion: The study underscores the necessity for targeted government interventions to improve healthcare, provide assistive devices, enhance educational opportunities, and create accessible public facilities. Recommendations include legal protections against discrimination, social empowerment programs, and active roles for social workers in rehabilitation and empowerment efforts. The research advocates for inclusive policies and practices to bridge the employment gap and promote equitable participation in the labor market, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Disproportionately High Rates of Burnout Among Disabled Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Burnout is exhaustion caused by exposure to chronic stress. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, people with disabilities experienced high levels of burnout due to discrimination, barriers to accessing resources, and lack of accommodations. Caregivers have also experienced high levels of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. While researchers have examined burnout among caregivers of disabled children, less research has focused on the experiences of disabled caregivers. We examined the association between caregiver disability and burnout during the pandemic. We distributed an online survey to caregivers of children enrolled in socially vulnerable elementary and middle schools in San Diego County, California between September and December, 2022. Our survey included demographic questions, questions about pandemic experiences, and a continuous burnout measure. We analyzed survey data to test our hypothesis that caregivers with a disability experienced higher levels of burnout than their non-disabled counterparts during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used multivariable linear regression analysis adjusting for household income and caregiver education level. Disabled caregivers self-reported higher levels of burnout than non-disabled caregivers (B = 0.72; p < 0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic in bivariate and multivariable analyses. Caregivers with a higher household income (B = 0.04; p = 0.017) and more education (B = 0.13; p = 0.005) also reported higher levels of burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing difficulties faced by disabled caregivers who often struggle to balance the demands of caregiving with their available resources. Targeted programs and policies are needed to support disabled caregivers during health emergencies that exacerbate existing inequities in access to resources.

Inclusive Labor Market and Participation of Person with Disabilities: Case Study in Indonesia, Denmark, France, and Ireland

An inclusive labor market for persons with disabilities is one of the priority issues discussed in the G20, especially in the Employment Working Group (EWG) field. Typically, the number of individuals with disabilities participating in the labor market is lower than that of their non-disabled counterparts, mainly due to the company’s reluctance to hire disabled workers. This study aims to investigate the impact of disability on participation in the inclusive labor market. This research uses panel data from four countries - Indonesia, Denmark, France, and Ireland - spanning the years 2016 to 2021, sourced from the International Labor Organization (ILO). The variables used to determine the factors that influence the participation of individuals with disabilities in the labor market are their educational level, the number of disabled individuals in rural areas and their average income. By using the Fixed Effect Model, it is known that people with disabilities who have received education and the number of people with disabilities living in urban areas have a positive and significant effect on the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market. Meanwhile, the average income of people with disabilities has a negative and insignificant effect on the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market. Efforts to increase the participation of people with disabilities in the labor market are important as welfare reform, indicators of the success of inclusive development and poverty alleviation among groups of people with disabilities.

The sport and exercise experiences of physically disabled women in Iran: shame, stereotyping, and Goffman’s stigma

To date, there is a scarcity of research in Iran exploring disabled women’s sport and exercise experiences. However, it is evident that widespread challenges exist for disabled people to participate in daily life on an equal basis to their non-disabled counterparts. Using 16 interviews, our research aimed to explore the intersecting identities of disability and gender in Iranian women’s sport and exercise participation, using Goffman’s theory of stigma and the social model of disability. Our findings suggest numerous environmental barriers to participation. As traditional gender beliefs still prevail in Iran, this often created a ‘double disadvantage’ for women. Both enacted and affiliate stigma were highlighted by interviewees, with negative perceptions around disability internalised, resulting in self-exclusion from sport and exercise spaces and disempowering elements to their participation. This research adds to the literature on sport/exercise and disability, focusing on Iranian women’s voices which are largely absent from the current literature.

Security Concerns and Conflict Experience of Physically Disabled People in The Czech Republic

People with disabilities are more vulnerable to violence than their non-disabled counterparts. The fear of crime increases with the experience of victimization. There are many attempts to enhance the confidence of being outside alone or decrease the fear of crime through self-defense courses. &#x0D; The aim of the present study is to determine the level of security concerns in people with physical disabilities and to identify the most frequent crime they are facing.&#x0D; 77 physically disabled people (aged 15 and more; 45 women, 32 men; 5 elementary, 44 secondary, 28 higher educated) participated in the research. 49 participants use mechanic or electric wheelchair, 19 participants use other compensatory aids, 9 participants do not use any compensatory aids. 35 participants use the assistant service, 42 do not. &#x0D; Data was collected via a questionnaire of four parts, in which participants expressed their security concerns, confidence, or vulnerability in given situations through a 6point scale. Each part of the questionnaire is supplemented by an open question encouraging participants to express their experience. People with disabilities have a slight fear of possible conflict situations. This fear increases in conditions with a greater chance of a potential conflict situation or areas that cannot be left immediately. &#x0D; The results suggest a slight sense of helplessness in verbal conflict situations or a developing conflict that can still be de-escalated. We can assume that people with disabilities feel very vulnerable when it comes to direct physical assault.

The Impact Of Action- Oriented Approach On Teaching English To Students With Mild Specific Language Learning Difficulties

Students with mild specific language learning difficulties encounter numerous challenges when acquiring the English language, and require a significantly longer period of time to attain independent language proficiency compared to their non-disabled counterparts. The objective of this investigation is to analyze the impacts of implementing An Action-Oriented Approach in the instruction of English language to secondary school students who exhibit Mild Specific Language Learning Difficulties. In order to accomplish this objective, a training program utilizing the Action Oriented Approach was administered to a cohort of 15 students who exhibit Mild Specific Language Learning Difficulties, as developed by a team of experts. The study employed quantitative data collection instruments, namely Unit-based Achievement Tests for four units and Classroom Observation Forms administered to students with Mild Specific Language Learning Difficulties both prior to and following the training programme. The quantitative data were subjected to analysis using the SPSS 21 statistical software and R Program version 3.2.5. The findings of the study suggest that individuals with mild speech and language learning difficulties exhibit a delay in their learning progress. Nevertheless, employing suitable pedagogical approaches and methodologies can enable students with mild speech and language learning difficulties to achieve a level of learning commensurate with that of their peers. The results of Unit-based Achievement Tests indicate that students with Multiple Severe Learning and Language Disabilities (MSLLD) may exhibit greater progress in their academic development compared to their typically developing peers. Finally, the research findings suggest that the Action Oriented Approach is advantageous in instructing English language skills to students who experience minor challenges in learning the language.

Differences between persons with and without disability in HIV prevalence, testing, treatment, and care cascade in Tanzania: a cross-sectional study using population-based data

BackgroundPersons with disability may have a higher HIV prevalence and be less likely than persons without disability to know their HIV-positive status, access antiretroviral therapy (ART), and suppress their HIV viral load (HIV care cascade). However, studies examining differences between persons with and without disability in HIV prevalence and the HIV care cascade are lacking. Using the Tanzania HIV Impact Survey (THIS) data collected between October 2016 and August 2017, we assessed differences in HIV prevalence and progress towards achieving the 2020 HIV care cascade target between persons with and without disability.MethodsUsing the Washington Group Short Set (WG-SS) Questions on Disability, we defined disability as having a functional difficulty in any of the six life domains (seeing, hearing, walking/climbing, remembering/ concentrating, self-care, and communicating). We classified respondents as disabled if they responded having either “Some Difficulty”, “A lot of difficulties” or “Unable to” in any of the WG-SS Questions. We presented the sample characteristics by disability status and analyzed the achievement of the cascade target by disability status, and sex. We used multivariable logistic regressions, and adjusted for age, sex, rural-urban residence, education, and wealth quintile.ResultsA total of 31,579 respondents aged 15 years and older had HIV test results. Of these 1,831 tested HIV-positive, corresponding to an estimated HIV prevalence of 4.9% (CI: 4.5 — 5.2%) among the adult population in Tanzania. The median age of respondents who tested HIV-positive was 32 years (with IQR of 21—45 years). HIV prevalence was higher (5.7%, 95% CI: 5.3—7.4%) among persons with disability than persons without disability (4.3%, 95% CI: 4.0 — 4.6%). Before adjustment, compared to women without disability, more women with disability were aware of their HIV-positive status (n = 101, 79.0%, 95% CI: 68.0—87.0% versus n = 703, 63.0%, 95% CI: 59.1—66.7%) and accessed ART more frequently (n = 98, 98.7%, 95% CI: 95.3—99.7% versus n = 661, 94.7%, 95% CI: 92.6—96.3%). After adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, the odds of having HIV and of accessing ART did not differ between persons with and without disability. However, PLHIV with disability had higher odds of being aware of their HIV-positive status (aOR 1.69, 95% 1.05—2.71) than PLHIV without disability. Men living with HIV and with disability had lower odds (aOR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06—0.86) to suppress HIV viral loads than their counterparts without disability.ConclusionWe found no significant differences in the odds of having HIV and of accessing ART between persons with and without disability in Tanzania. While PLHIV and disability, were often aware of their HIV-positive status than their non-disabled counterparts, men living with HIV and with disability may have been disadvantaged in having suppressed HIV viral loads. These differences are correctable with disability-inclusive HIV programming. HIV surveys around the world should include questions on disability to measure potential differences in HIV prevalence and in attaining the 2025 HIV care cascade target between persons with and without disability.

An Accommodation for Whom? Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Landscape of Flexible and Remote Work for Workers with Disabilities?

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible and remote work was viewed as a silver bullet that would increase employment rates among people with disabilities. This view fails to recognize that not all workers with disabilities can obtain jobs that can be done remotely or on a flexible schedule. Data from the 2019 and 2021 years of the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey were used to examine if disabled workers' gender, race, ethnicity, age, and education, increase (or decrease) their chances of accessing flexible and remote work and if the group of workers with disabilities who access such options expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that compared to their non-disabled counterparts, prior to the pandemic, workers with disabilities reported similar rates of flexible and remote work. Workers with disabilities, however, had lower rates of remote work after the start of the pandemic. Regardless of year, flexible and remote work rates vary by demographic group, with disabled workers who are white, female, and college-educated more likely to access these options than multiply marginalized disabled workers.

Housing circumstances of disabled parents within the child welfare system

Parents with disabilities are more likely than their nondisabled counterparts to have child welfare system involvement. Furthermore, once they are involved in the child welfare system, parents with disabilities have disproportionately high rates of poor outcomes, including termination of parental rights. Inadequate housing is also associated with heightened risk for child welfare system involvement, and yet no study has explored the housing circumstances of parents with different types of disabilities within the child welfare system.The present study aims to fill these gaps by providing a national-level examination of the housing circumstances of parents with disabilities involved in the child welfare system, including parents from racial and ethnic minorities. Using data from data the 2018 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), Poisson regression analyses yielded risk ratios, which were used to compare the housing circumstances of parents with and without disabilities. Interaction terms were used to explore the compounding effects of race and disability.Results show that parents with disabilities compared to parents without disabilities experience heightened risk for inadequate housing. The risk is compounded for Black parents with disabilities. These findings indicate the need to prioritize housing supports for disabled parents with child welfare system involvement.

Unemployment and Job Search Behavior among People with Disabilities during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany.

Not much is known about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the labor market experiences of people with disabilities. Since they constitute a generally disadvantaged group in the labor market, it is important to scrutinize whether their position has worsened during these difficult times and how they reacted with regard to their job search behavior. We therefore used data for the year 2020 from a large German panel (Panel Arbeitsmarkt und Soziale Sicherung, PASS), in order to scrutinize the prevalence of unemployment among people with disabilities (N = 739) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The factors that affected their unemployment status were also analyzed. The study found that people with legally recognized disabilities were more often unemployed than non-disabled people, even when controlling for possible confounding factors such as age, gender, or education. This effect was significant for severe disabilities and marginally significant for minor disabilities. Additionally, the type of disability affected the probability of being unemployed, with cardiovascular diseases, mental illnesses, and musculoskeletal disorders carrying a higher risk. In terms of job-seeking behavior, unemployed people with disabilities reported using some job search methods more frequently than their non-disabled counterparts. However, the intensity of the job search did not differ significantly between the two groups. Further differences were found when analyzing the reasons for abstinence from searching for a job, with unemployed people with disabilities primarily citing health-related factors (with a frequency of over 90%). In summary, health played a pivotal role in determining disabled people's labor market experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disabled people’s perceptions and experiences of accessing and receiving counselling and psychotherapy: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionEvidence indicates that, compared with their non-disabled counterparts, disabled people are likely to face greater mental health challenges as well as significant inequalities in accessing appropriate therapeutic support. Currently, little...

Increasing access to justice for children: A brief report on the Brazilian Sign Language version of the NICHD protocol

Children with disabilities are abused, including sexually abused, at higher rates than their non-disabled counterparts. To ensure access to justice for all child victims of violence, child protection systems must have adequate protocols and training to support each child, including those who are hard of hearing or deaf. One important modification is ensuring that investigative interview protocols, such as the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development investigative interview protocol (NICHD), are adapted to provide hard of hearing children with the interview’s full benefits. The current report presents an innovative effort to develop a culturally-sensitive translation of the NICHD from Brazilian Portuguese to Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) and an accompanying training on the NICHD for translators (NICHD-LIBRAS). The NICHD-LIBRAS was translated by a three-step process. In Step 1, the Brazilian NICHD was translated by a certified LIBRAS translator into morphemes. In Step 2, the authors used a modulation format to detect discrepancies between the original protocol and the translated language. Finally, in Step 3, the protocol was recorded into a video format, back-translated by a certified LIBRAS interpreter, and posted on YouTube. The tool is publicly available for Brazilian professionals and for researchers to test its efficacy and feasibility. The current brief report aims to encourage future efforts to adapt investigative interview protocols for children with disabilities and to advance access to justice for children from diverse contexts.

Temperature and cardiovascular hospitalization in persons with and without disabilities: Invisible population in climate change discourse

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The adverse health effects of non-optimal temperatures are disproportionately distributed in the population due to differential susceptibility and adaptive capacity to heat and cold. Although persons with disabilities (PwD) can be one of the susceptible populations, they have been neglected in the climate change discourse. This study aimed to investigate the association of ambient temperature with cardiovascular hospitalization in persons with and without disabilities. METHODS: This study used the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort established by South Korea. Using nationwide data from 2003 to 2013, we conducted a space-time-stratified case-crossover study using a conditional Poisson regression with a distributed lag nonlinear model to investigate the association between daily mean temperature and cardiovascular hospitalization. The extreme and moderate heat (99th and 95th temperature percentile, respectively) and cold (1st and 5th temperature percentile, respectively) effects on hospitalization over ten days were estimated using the minimum hospitalization temperature (MHT) as a reference. All analyses were conducted separately by the existence of a disability. RESULTS: A J-shaped association between temperature and cardiovascular hospitalization was found with the MHT at 22.2&amp;#xb0;C and 15.9&amp;#xb0;C in persons with and without disabilities, respectively. In persons without disabilities, the effects of hot temperatures were acute and lasted several days, while the effects of cold temperatures appeared after 2-3 days. In PwD, the effects of hot temperatures lasted up to 10 days, while the effects of cold temperatures appeared immediately with the following deficit in hospitalizations. The cumulative cold effects over ten days were higher in PwD than their non-disabled counterparts, although the cumulative heat effects did not show a significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: PwD were more susceptible to cold-related hospitalizations compared to their non-disabled counterpart. Precision adaptation strategies to heat and cold that considers susceptibility in PwD are needed. KEYWORDS: Temperature; Climate change; Health equity; Disability

Are women with disabilities less likely to utilize essential maternal and reproductive health services?-A secondary analysis of Pakistan Demographic Health Survey.

BackgroundPeople with disabilities deal with widespread exclusion from healthcare services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights. Studies analyzing the relationship between disability and key SRH utilization outcomes have often reported mixed findings. In Pakistan, very little to no literature is available on this topic, therefore we aim to determine inequalities in the utilization of essential maternal and reproductive health services between women with and without disabilities in Pakistan.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017–18 performed on a weighted sample of 6,711 women aged 15–49 years with a live birth in the 5 years preceding the survey. Six types of disabilities were assessed i.e. vision, hearing, communication, cognition, walking and self-care. Utilization of essential maternal and reproductive health services was assessed through a set of four outcome variables: (i) modern contraceptive use; (ii) skilled antenatal care (ANC); (iii) skilled birth attendance (SBA); and (iv) skilled postnatal care (PNC). Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the association between dependent and independent variables. Data were analyzed using Stata MP Version 16.0.ResultsA total of 6,711 women were included out of which 14.1% (n = 947) live with at least one form of disability. Mean age was 29.4 (S.E = 0.13) years. The most prevalent form of disability was vision (7.0%), followed by walking (4.8%), cognition (4.8%) and hearing (1.8%). Women with disabilities were comparatively less educated, belonged to older age group, and had higher parity than their non-disabled counterparts. With the exception of modern contraceptive use, which was more prevalent in the group with disabilities, women with disabilities were less likely to utilize skilled ANC, SBA and PNC in bivariate analysis. However, these associations turned insignificant in the adjusted model. Overall, no statistically significant differences were observed in the utilization of essential reproductive health services between women with and without disabilities after adjusting for important covariates.ConclusionOur analyses did not find any statistically significant differences in the utilization of essential maternal and reproductive health services between women with and without disabilities. In-depth research utilizing qualitative or mixed methods is required to understand how well the healthcare system in Pakistan is responsive to the different needs of disabled women.

Disability type–specific mortality patterns and life expectancy among disabled people in South Korea using 10-year combined data between 2008 and 2017

People with disabilities have a higher mortality risk than non-disabled people. However, mortality patterns and life expectancy according to disability types are under-researched. This study investigated the sociodemographic characteristics and compared mortality and life expectancy among people with disabilities according to disability type in Korea using 10-year combined data between 2008 and 2017. The National Health Information Database from the National Health Insurance Service covering the total Korean population between 2008 and 2017 was obtained. This study described the age and income distributions of people with disabilities and calculated the mortality rate, proportional mortality ratio, and life expectancy according to disability type. Most disability subgroups had higher average ages than were found for non-disabled people. The proportion of the bottom 20% household income group was also higher in all types of disabilities than in non-disabled people. The crude mortality rate, age-standardized mortality rate, and life expectancy were all worse in people with all types of disabilities than in their non-disabled counterparts, but variations according to disability type were found. The composition of causes of death also varied across disability types. Although all types of disabilities were associated with higher mortality rates and lower life expectancy, the sociodemographic characteristics and mortality and life expectancy patterns differed across types of disability. People with disabilities experienced various health-related problems and financial burdens. Public assistance needs to be strengthened to guarantee adequate income and health care services for people with disabilities, considering their sociodemographic characteristics and mortality patterns.