The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48549

Gwyn C. Jones, PhD and Shawn C. Bingham, MA. National Rehabilitation Hospital Center for Health and Disability Research, 1016 16th St. NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036, 202/466-1916, Gwyn.C.Jones@MedStar.net

Objectives: (1) To investigate health risks among working-age adults with disabilities. (2) To examine use of clinical preventive services among working-age adults with disabilities.

Methods: As a follow-up to our earlier work on the 1994 NHIS (Jones & Beatty, in press), we analyzed data from the 1998 National Health Interview Sample Adult files to identify health risks and disparities in clinical preventive services, including health screenings, immunizations, and physician counseling, for self-responding adults age 18-64 years.

Results: Preliminary findings indicate that working-age adults with disabilities are more likely than non-disabled adults to be obese (BMI>30), to be heavy smokers (>25 cigarettes per day), and to be heavy drinkers (women >7 drinks per week, men > 14 drinks per week). As a group, adults with disabilities are more likely to receive most health screenings and immunizations, but they continue to lag behind in receipt of physician counseling for most adverse lifestyle behaviors.

Conclusions: Adults with disabilities are more likely to engage in negative health behaviors than their non-disabled counterparts, but they are less likely to be counseled about these behaviors. This suggests that people with disabilities may be vulnerable to additional, but preventable disablement, unless barriers to health behavior counseling are vigorously addressed. Primary care providers should routinely and consistently apply Healthy People objectives to all adults, including persons with disabilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify health risk behaviors for working-age adults with disabilities.
• Assess disparities in clinical preventive services received by adults with disabilities.
• Consider possible barriers to delivery of comprehensive preventive care for persons with disabilities.
• Recognize the importance of routinely applying all Healthy People 2010 objectives to this population.

Keywords: Disability, Health Risks

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.