This is one of several complementary studies examining dimensions of childhood disability in population based surveys. A large proportion of the clinical research on children with disabilities has been characterized by a lack of comparison with the typically developing population. In keeping with the goals of Healthy People 2010, it is important to document the nature and extent of health disparities between children with and without disabilities. This study provides such a comparison by examining dimensions of health and functioning of children with and without disabilities. A random digit dialed telephone survey was conducted with 110 households in four counties of North Carolina (n=440). The content of the survey was framed within the dimensions of functioning, disability and health of the ICIDH2 and included items from the National Health Interview Survey. Data were then compared for 59 children with disabilities and their peers without disabilities on: (a) identifying characteristics of students, (b) students' school and community participation, (c) caregivers' perceived quality of life of students, (d) characteristics of the students' school and home environments, (e) prevalence of secondary conditions among the students, and (f) access to health care. Results revealed negative disparities for children with disabilities with particular reference to dimensions of mental health, personal functioning and participation in school and community life. The findings provide a population-based estimate of functioning and limitations with special emphasis on educational and health issues identified as relevant to childhood & adolescent disability in previous research studies.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to articulate the dimensions of participation and environment on which children and adolescents with and without disabilities differ. 2. Participants will be able to describe the relative prevalence of functioning and limitations within a reference group of typically-developing school-age children and adolescents.
Keywords: Education, Children With Special Needs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.