Academic Needs Assessment of College Students Diagnosed with Autoimmune Related Disabilities

A national, online study assessed disability-related impairments to academic success among college students diagnosed with autoimmune related diseases (1990 Americans with Disabilities Act). A 97 structured response and open-ended item instrument was developed from focus group data, jury validated and posted online (11 weeks). Participants were recruited via: 29 autoimmune disease-related websites/newsletters, Google Ads, Facebook, MySpace. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics/thematic analysis. Ninety respondents (female 91.11%; male 8.89%) represented 31 autoimmune diseases with a range from one to six diseases per respondent. Over two-thirds (67.12%) reported being diagnosed with combinations of two or more diseases. Most prevalent were ulcerative colitis (32.89%); scleroderma (28.95%); Raynard's phenomenon (27.63%); systemic lupus (17.12%); chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis (11.84% each). Almost two-thirds (65.28%) of student respondents did not register with university disability service and 8.33% tried unsuccessfully. Disease related barriers/symptoms to academic performance included pain (60.00%), fatigue (44.00%), ataxia (33.33%), concentration (18.67%), self-esteem (13.33%), medication effects (6.67%) among others. Participants reduced flare-ups via sleep/rest (54.35%), stress control (47.83%), healthy eating (41.30%), temperature control (36.96%), exercise (32.61%), medication (28.27%). Almost half desired greater faculty awareness (48.94%) and better educated health center personnel (42.56%) regarding autoimmune disease complications/flare-ups. Also needed were better accessibility, more accommodations and equipment for their disability (29.79%). Online courses versus campus classes were desired by 21.27% of respondents. Recommendations are directed toward: student self care, university disabilities services, university health services, university registrar and professors.