Though nearly 20 percent of Americans have physical or mental disabilities, studies show that less than 20 percent of medical schools teach their students how to talk with disabled patients about their needs.
More than half of medical school deans report that their students aren't competent to treat people with disabilities, and a similar percentage of graduates agree. Accreditation and licensing boards don't require clinicians to demonstrate knowledge or skills in treating patients with disabilities.
Numerous studies have found people with disabilities receive inferior health care, including less information about prevention and fewer screening tests.
Mistaken assumptions are a big reason. Doctors and nurses have expressed surprise to me when I explained that they have to discuss risks and benefits with patients who are cognitively impaired. Some doctors are also surprised to learn that they need to ask someone who has a physical disability about sexual activity.
Last year, researchers called doctors' offices in four U.S. cities to make an appointment for a fictional patient who was obese and wheelchair-dependent. One in five offices said that they wouldn't see this patient, citing reasons that included a lack of trained staff and a lack of equipment to help patients onto an examining table.
Doctors' Ignorance Stands In The Way Of Care For The Disabled
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