Disability

Question 1

How does the WHO define disability?

Answer 1

Disability includes impairments in body function/structure, activity limitations, or participation restrictions in daily life.

Question 2

How many people worldwide live with disabilities, and where do most live?

Answer 2

Over 1 billion people; 80% live in developing countries.

Question 3

What are the categories of disability progression?

Answer 3

Progressive (e.g., ALS), static (e.g., limb loss), intermittent (e.g., multiple sclerosis), and visible/invisible (e.g., Down syndrome vs. autism).

Question 4

Which major chronic diseases are people with disabilities three times more likely to have?

Answer 4

Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or cancer.

Question 5

Name two healthcare disparities faced by women with disabilities.

Answer 5

Less likely to receive breast and cervical cancer screening.

Question 6

Give one example of a barrier to health-promoting behaviors for people with disabilities

Answer 6

Inaccessible gyms or lack of adaptive equipment.

Question 7

What does the social model of disability emphasize?

Answer 7

Disability is shaped by social and environmental barriers, not just medical conditions.

Question 8

Why should disability be considered a demographic in diversity and inclusion?

Answer 8

Because people with disabilities represent a large, diverse population with unique cultural and health needs.

Question 9

What is one way healthcare providers commonly show bias toward disabled patients?

Answer 9

Underestimating their quality of life or ability to contribute to their own care.

Question 10

What services are provided in early childhood for children with disabilities?

Answer 10

Early intervention services (0–3 years), delivered in the child’s natural environment.

Question 11

What supports are available through schools for children with disabilities?

Answer 11

Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans.

Question 12

Give an example of improved life expectancy in a pediatric disability.

Answer 12

Cystic fibrosis survival increased from ~10 years (1980) to ~61 years today.

Question 13

What challenges do adults with disabilities often face?

Answer 13

Employment barriers, limited insurance coverage, and housing accessibility issues.

Question 14

What is ableism?

Answer 14

Discrimination or prejudice against people with disabilities, viewing them as inferior or needing to be “fixed.”

Question 15

Give an example of ableism in a healthcare encounter.

Answer 15

A physician assuming a blind older man is not sexually active and skipping over counseling on sexual side effects.

Question 16

How can providers counteract ableism?

Answer 16

By treating disabled patients as experts in their own health and avoiding assumptions about their abilities

Question 17

What is person-first language?

Answer 17

A communication style that emphasizes the person before the disability (e.g., “a person with autism”).

Question 18

Why is person-first language important?

Answer 18

It promotes dignity, respect, and avoids reducing individuals to their condition.

Question 19

Give an example of person-first vs. non-person-first language.

Answer 19

Correct: “woman with cerebral palsy.” Incorrect: “cerebral palsy woman.”

Question 20

What is disability-inclusive healthcare?

Answer 20

Care that ensures accessibility, effective communication, and full engagement of patients with disabilities.

Question 21

Name two examples of accessible medical equipment.

Answer 21

Height-adjustable exam tables and wheelchair-accessible scales.

Question 22

What are key principles of communication in disability-inclusive healthcare?

Answer 22

Speak directly to the patient, use interpreters or adaptive tools when needed, and provide information in accessible formats (e.g., large print, plain language).