Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disabilities
Pandemic deepened existing inequities for disabled populations worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affected people with disabilities, who faced higher risks of infection, mortality, and adverse social and economic consequences. Individuals with disabilities were more susceptible to contracting the virus and experienced greater rates of severe illness and death, particularly those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, residents of care facilities, and women with disabilities. The pandemic also exacerbated mental health challenges, increased exposure to domestic violence, and disrupted education and employment for disabled individuals.
Risk of disease
Globally, an estimated 46% of people aged 60 or older have a disability, and about 80% of the world's disabled population lives in developing countries with more limited health care access. Between 19% and 72% of COVID-related deaths worldwide occurred in care facilities, where persons with disabilities are overrepresented. The World Health Organization, the United Nations, and UNICEF expressed concern over disabled people's access to medical treatment for COVID-19. Disability rights entities argued that medical rationing measures during the pandemic were ableist and discriminatory. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Affordable Care Act generally prohibit using disability as grounds to ration care, and the US Office for Civil Rights issued a bulletin in late March 2020 asserting that rationing measures cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. In the United Kingdom, disabled people constituted roughly two-thirds of all COVID-related deaths from March through May 2020. Disabled women were 11 times more likely than non-disabled women to die from COVID-19 complications, and disabled men were 6.5 times more likely than non-disabled men. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities faced particularly high risks: in the United States, they were four times more likely to contract COVID-19 and twice as likely to die from the disease.
Impact
Previous pandemic research indicated that people with disabilities are more vulnerable to loneliness and isolation, which can lead to poor health outcomes. Women with disabilities and women who care for disabled individuals faced greater risk of domestic abuse and sexual violence during pandemics, and they might also lose access to reproductive care. Children with disabilities were at higher risk for mental distress and domestic violence during the COVID-19 crisis. As of 2016, roughly 52 million children age 5 and younger worldwide had a developmental disability, and about 1 in 6 US children between ages 3 and 12 had a developmental disability. Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially those with autism spectrum disorder, were more likely to experience anxiety and stress from the pandemic, and they could be particularly sensitive to changes in daily routines such as school closures. They faced higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing serious complications, and might not be able to socially distance or wear masks due to sensory issues, leading to further isolation. The rise of virtual gatherings allowed some people with physical disabilities to participate in activities that were previously difficult to attend, as they no longer needed to worry about wheelchair accessibility.
Vaccine access
Vaccine distributions in many Western countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and across Europe, were uneven and exposed inequities faced by disabled individuals. Despite being overall more willing to be vaccinated than people without disabilities, disabled people received vaccines at lower rates. This discrepancy likely resulted from non-standardized vaccine rollouts: in the United States, each state implemented CDC guidelines differently, and in Europe and Canada, no specific guidelines provided accommodations for disabled individuals. A CDC investigation cited access difficulties as a main reason for lower vaccination rates, including trouble getting to vaccination locations or making online appointments. The CDC issued guidelines for vaccine distribution to disabled individuals, recommending that locations make information available in American Sign Language and braille. Europe established similar guidelines.
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