Message to Readers
I am pleased to present the Disability and Health State
Chartbook, 2006: Profiles of Health for Adults With
Disabilities. This book is the first in a series of
chartbooks on the health of people with disabilities. This
chartbook performs three important functions: |
|
- Provides the prevalence of disability among adults at the state
level (please see Appendix B for a definition of prevalence.)
- Shows how health behaviors and access to health services differ
between people with and without disabilities in each state.
-
Identifies areas for reducing differences in health outcomes.
I
hope readers will use this information to develop and refine state
and community programs so they are more inclusive of people with
disabilities. By including people with disabilities in health
programs, we can begin to address health disparities that are
identified in this book.
Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed 15 years ago,
we have removed or reduced many social barriers. Buildings are more
accessible. Employment opportunities are greater. This has enabled
people with disabilities to become more independent and involved in
their world. But are they healthier?
Often they are not. The findings in this chartbook show that people
with disabilities generally report poorer health than people without
disabilities. Also, people with disabilities often smoke more, are
more often obese, and get less exercise than people without
disabilities. Their health problems may require different solutions
than people without disabilities. How can a man get enough exercise
if he uses a wheelchair? Does a woman with a cognitive disability
know where to get a flu shot? We can help people with disabilities
become healthier by including them in smoking cessation programs,
community fitness programs, and health messages.
I
join the U.S. Surgeon General in his 2005 Call to Action to
Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities.
And I hope you will, too. Together we can help to ensure that people
of all abilities enjoy healthier, richer, and more satisfying lives.
José F. Cordero, MD, MPH
Director, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Date: May 24, 2006
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
