Numbers

Perceptions of Patients With Disabilities

Studies spotlight obstacles for individuals with disabilities

Individuals with mobility issues comprise a significant segment of the more than 61 million Americans living with disabilities. Many of these individuals face biases or misperceptions when seeking healthcare—even among healthcare providers.

PERCEPTIONS REPORTED BY PHYSICIANS

HEALTHCARE ACCESS AMONG U.S. ADULTS, AGES 18-44, WITH DISABILITIES

DISABILITIES AMONG CHILDREN

82 Percent

Report that people with significant disability have worse quality of life than nondisabled

56 Percent

Strongly agree that they welcome patients with disability into their practices

41 Percent

Feel confident about their ability to provide the same quality of care to people with disabilities

18 Percent

Strongly agree that the healthcare system often treats these patients unfairly

1 in 3

Do not have a usual healthcare provider

1 in 3

Have an unmet healthcare need because of cost in the past year

>3 Million

Number of U.S. children under 18 who had a disability in 2019

4.3 Percent

Percentage of children who had a disability in 2019

0.6 Percent

Percentage of children ages 5-14 with ambulatory difficulty

0.7 Percent

Percentage of children ages 15-17 with ambulatory difficulty

DISABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES

26%

Percentage of U.S. adults who have some type of disability

13.7%

Percentage of U.S. adults who have mobility challenges “More than 30 years after the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 was enacted, these findings about physicians’ perceptions of this population raise questions about ensuring equitable care to people with disability. Potentially biased views among physicians could contribute to persistent healthcare disparities affecting people with disability.”

—“Physicians’ Perceptions of People With Disability and Their Healthcare,” Health Affairs, February 2021