This journal article seeks to understand the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the health and participation of people with mobility disabilities living in the community. The researchers surveyed 39 people with mobility disabilities on the effects of the pandemic on their health and access to health care. Results showed that many experiences were caused by lack of appropriate policies rather than the pandemic itself.
This blog article used geographical data to identify areas where the number of available hospital beds might outpace the number of people requiring critical care due to COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, there were concerns about rationing care when faced with a shortage of intensive care hospital beds or ventilators, and concerns that people with disabilities might be denied treatment over people without disabilities. The article includes discussion of rationing care and equitable access.
This brief reports on a survey of people with disabilities to gauge their access to, knowledge of, and interest in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Overall, 19% of our sample of people with disabilities reported already being vaccinated, 56% wanted to get vaccinated, 10% were unsure, and 15% did not want to be vaccinated. Rural residents with disabilities reported higher rates of current vaccination, but higher rates of overall hesitancy, and more barriers to vaccination than urban residents with disabilities.
