Disability Inclusive Health

Group of young people with intellectual disability

Together, we can improve the health of people with intellectual disabilities by increasing access to quality health care and health promotion programs.

December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. As CDC honors International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we ask you to join us in being a part of the global movement to change attitudes toward, and promote the inclusion of, people with disabilities in society and in programs that support health and prevent disease.

Intellectual disability (ID) is a term used when there are significant limitations to a person’s ability to learn at an expected level and function in daily life. Although the life expectancy of individuals with ID is now longer than it was a generation ago, it is still an average of 10 to 20 years shorter than that of the general population.1 In the United States and around the world, people with IDs face significant health inequalities compared to people without IDs. In fact, there is a growing body of evidence that—when compared to people without IDs — people with IDs in the United States are more likely to have obesity, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and asthma.2,3 They are also more likely to be admitted to the hospital by emergency room doctors for conditions that could have been treated in outpatient settings.4

People with IDs are less likely to receive good health care and more likely to have poor health than people without IDs. Healthcare professionals can work with their patients with an ID, and their caregivers, to find out which care is best. Training for healthcare professionals is important to help them better care for their patients with IDs. Creating accessible healthcare systems that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of people with IDs may help improve their health and wellbeing and ensure they are active participants in their own health care.