Progress Toward Elimination of Health Disparities

The following discussion highlights progress toward the elimination of health disparities. The disparities are illustrated in the Disparities Table (see Figure 6-2), which displays information about disparities among select populations for which data were available for assessment.

Disparities exist between select populations (for example, race and ethnicity, gender, education, income, and location) within the total population of people with disabilities. Figure 6-2 shows that the white non-Hispanic population had the best rates for several objectives and subobjectives, with significant racial and ethnic differences, compared with other racial and ethnic populations. Most of the observed racial and ethnic disparities among people with disabilities were less than 50 percent, with one exception: Persons of two or more races experienced environmental barriers to community activities at a rate more than twice that of the white non-Hispanic population.

Males had better rates than females for four of the five objectives with significant gender disparities. All of the disparities were less than 50 percent. Persons with at least some college had the best rates for six of the seven objectives with significant educational disparities. High school graduates had the lowest rate for negative feelings (6-3). The middle/high-income population had the best rates for all six objectives with significant income disparities. Persons living in rural or nonmetropolitan areas had a significantly lower rate for negative feelings compared to urban or metropolitan dwellers.

These observations are largely consistent with typically reported trends in disparities for select populations, including race and ethnicity, and low education and income populations. They are also consistent with differences observed between men and women in general. For example, men with disabilities are more likely to report having the emotional support they need and less likely to report negative feelings. Women with disabilities, on the other hand, are more likely to report social participation and life satisfaction.

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