Health care disparitites at the intersection of race, ethnicity, and disability
Project Description:
Extensive research has documented disparities in access to and quality of health care among racial and ethnic
minorities. There are some indications that these disparities are even greater among individuals who also have
disabilities. Disability, especially complex disability, is more common in some racial and ethnic minority groups
than it is among non-Hispanic Whites. The combination of disability with membership in a minority racial or
ethnic group is associated with less access to the social determinants of health (e.g. education, employment,
income) than belonging to either group alone. Yet, little work has been done to specifically examine the
intersection of race, ethnicity, and disability in relation to health care access and utilization. The proposed
conference will address this gap. The purpose of the conference is to share what is currently known and
generate an action plan for developing new knowledge to address identified problems and gaps. The rationale
for conducting such a conference is that research on racial and ethnic disparities and research on disabilityrelated
disparities has thus far been conducted largely independently. A meeting with both groups of
researchers is needed to build bridges between these two bodies of research and focus on the overlap of the
two populations. Further, there is a need to facilitate translation of research findings into practice. Health care
consumers, clinicians, health plans, and policy makers will be included in the conference in order to speed
distribution of data that can inform and influence health care practices. These end users will also provide
valuable input regarding informational needs, ensuring that future research is relevant and responsive to
patient and health system priorities. The conference has three specific aims: 1) Disseminate findings from
current projects studying disparities in health care access and utilization among minorities with disabilities; 2)
Promote collaboration between racial and ethnic health disparity researchers and disability researchers in
addressing health care disparities experienced by minorities with disabilities; and 3) Define issues and
challenges in the practice of health care for racial and ethnic minorities with disabilities and develop a research
agenda to study and address these issues. The conference will culminate in recommendations for further
research into disparities and strategies to increase access to and utilization of health care for people with
disabilities in racial and ethnic minority groups. Future implementation of these recommendations, in turn, will
contribute to improvements in the quality, safety, efficiency,
Keyword(s):
Health Disparities, Race, Ethnicity, Disabilities, Underserved Popluations
Core Function(s):
Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information, Continuing Education/Community Training
Area of Emphasis
Health-Related Activities
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
National
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
