Bridging the Divide in Cancer Screening for People with Disabilities: Barriers and Recommendations
People with disabilities represent one of the largest and most heterogeneous populations in the United States, spanning all ages, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. In fact, nearly one in four American adults (approximately 50 million individuals) lives with at least one disability. Across wide variation in types of disability, studies have indicated that people with disabilities consistently experience disparities in healthcare access and quality, including lower rates of care satisfaction, higher rates of unmet medical needs, and reduced access to preventive health services. Consequently, people with disabilities exhibit lower cancer screening uptake and are disproportionately diagnosed at later stages, contributing to negative health outcomes. Overlapping systemic and structural barriers have generated gaps in healthcare delivery that fail to adequately account for the needs of people with disabilities. Barriers across clinical practice, healthcare infrastructure, and health communication collectively limit timely and effective screening for people with disabilities. These challenges are especially evident in breast and cervical cancer screenings, where disparities are well-documented and show that people with disabilities receive fewer screenings for these cancers. Addressing these systemic gaps is essential to improving early detection, reducing preventable morbidity, and advancing equity in cancer care.
Partner: Detroit Disability Power
