As many as one in five women in the United
States are living with disabilities. “Disability” is a broad term that
encompasses a sizable range of conditions and diseases. It refers
generally to a limitation in physical or mental function caused by one
or more health conditions. Depending on the definition used, 19.9 to
28.6 million U.S. women have disabilities – and the number is growing.
Women are
more frequently affected by many of the conditions that cause
disability, and well over half of all women older than 65 are living
with a disability. The most common are associated with chronic
conditions such as back disorders, arthritis, heart disease,
respiratory problems, and high blood pressure. Disabilities may also
result from injuries or birth defects.
Women who
experience disability from a large and important group of people who
can benefit from public health efforts, according to JoAnn Thierry of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s disability and health
team. In addition to the same health concerns as nondisabled women,
women with disabilities have conditions that make them more vulnerable
to a range of secondary conditions such as pain, fatigue, osteoporosis,
obesity, and depression.
CDC’s
disability and health team has targeted women with disabilities as a
major area of emphasis and works to promote their health and well-being
through research, partnerships, and education. CDC funds projects
around the United States to improve surveillance and promotes research
that focuses on women with disabilities as a special subpopulation.
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and
Developmental Disabilities
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