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. 2025 Feb 10:13:1538519.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1538519. eCollection 2025.

Health inequities among persons with disabilities: a global scoping review

Emre Umucu  1 , Andrew A Vernon  2 , Deyu Pan  3 , Sang Qin  4 , Guillermina Solis  5 , Rebecca Campa  1 , Beatrice Lee  6
Affiliations

Health inequities among persons with disabilities: a global scoping review

Emre Umucu et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Background and objective: Approximately 16% of the global population, or 1.3 billion individuals, live with disabilities, facing increased health risks. Despite international and national policies affirming the rights of persons with disabilities, healthcare disparities persist, with studies revealing higher rates of unmet medical needs, avoidable deaths, and dissatisfaction with healthcare services among this population. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of health inequities experienced by individuals with disabilities globally.

Methods: A rapid scoping review methodology was employed to systematically search and analyze quantitative evidence on health inequities. Electronic searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases, supplemented by manual searches of reference lists. The selection criteria for articles in this study were as follows: (a) publication between 2011 and 2022, (b) written in English, (c) published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal, and (d) a quantitative comparison of health inequities between persons with and without disabilities.

Results: A total of 363 scholarly works were initially identified, with 51 meeting the inclusion criteria after rigorous screening. In the course of our review, our team identified three overarching themes of health inequity, encompassing (a) access to healthcare and resources, (b) morbidity, mortality, & risk factors, and (c) social determinants of health. These studies collectively reveal disparities in healthcare access, utilization, and outcomes among persons with disabilities, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to address systemic barriers and promote equitable healthcare provision.

Conclusion: This review underscores the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing quality healthcare and imperative for concerted efforts to advance health equity.

Keywords: disability; health disparities; health inequities; rehabilitation disparities; scoping review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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