Prevalence of secondary conditions among adolescents with disabilities

Secondary conditions refer to preventable physical, mental and social conditions related to or exacerbated by the primary disability. Secondary conditions can create additional activity limitations or intensify existing ones, make social participation and independent living more difficult, and decrease quality of life. Despite their impact, there is little information pertaining to secondary conditions among adolescents with disabilities. Data were obtained from a convenience sample (n=540) of adolescents with disabilities ages 12-18 years across the U.S., who participated in an ongoing nationwide survey addressing environmental and behavioral factors associated with health status. Preliminary analyses found that common secondary conditions included the following: gastrointestinal problems (37.3%), sleep apnea (26.9%), asthma (24.8%), joint or bone pain (24.0%), depression (19.5%), obesity and overweight (15.9% and 17.6%, respectively), low self-esteem (17.9%), and fatigue (15.9%). Adolescents with mobility limitations (i.e., those who use a wheelchair or other assistive device) reported a significantly higher rate of fatigue (20.3% vs. 13.5%, p=.04), gastrointestinal problems (50.5% vs. 30.0%, p=.00), joint and bone pain (41.6% vs. 14.6%, p=.00), and sleep apnea (32.1% vs. 24.0%, p=.04) compared to those without mobility limitations. In contrast, those without mobility limitations reported a significantly higher rate of obesity (18.8% vs. 10.6%, p=.01), overweight (20.7% vs. 11.6%, p=.01), depression (22.1% vs. 14.4%, p=.04) and low self-esteem (23.5% vs. 6.8%, p=.00). Implications on health promotion strategies for this population will be discussed. This study is supported by Grant No. H133A060066 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.