People with Disabilities Have Greater Barriers to Accessing Health Promotion
Health programs that are inclusive of people with disabilities go beyond simply meeting accessibility laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). They ensure that all participants have the support needed to actively engage and benefit from the programs.
Research consistently shows that people with disabilities face greater health challenges (Kran et all, 2015) , yet many encounter barriers that prevent them from participating in health programs. People with disabilities are more likely to experience secondary health conditions1, less likely to have access to affordable healthcare (Lezzoni, 2011) , and be excluded from wellness activities due to accessibility and program design issues2.
New Implementation Guide
Lakeshore Foundation and Special Olympics have created guidelines for including people with disabilities in health promotion programs. This guide is designed for organizations that create, run, or support health promotion programs. It provides a starting point for designing, implementing, and evaluating programs that meet the needs of people with disabilities.
In the guide, you will find:
- 8 guidelines for disability inclusion
- An inclusion checklist to assess your program
