This project was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to examine the environmental access barriers to the continuum of health care services for individuals with disabilities across the lifespan in Massachusetts.  For the purposes of this research, we used 4 broad categories of functional limitations as a framework for examining environmental barriers: mobility, communication, cognitive and medical. 

1. There are differences among provider types along the health care continuum regarding physical accessibility for people with disabilities
2. All health care providers are more aware of and more likely to have addressed physical accessibility than cognitive, communication or medical accessibility
3. There are differences between providers and consumers in their perceptions of access barriers

Methods/Activities

1. We conducted consumer focus groups about access to health care to provide
   input into the provider survey and to deepen our understanding of barriers
   to health care.
2. We surveyed people with disabilities about their access to health care in both English and Spanish.
3. We surveyed providers of primary, acute and long-term care services in
   medicine, dental, substance abuse, and mental health about access to health care.
4. We developed recommendations about improving access to health services for
   people with disabilities, and a future basic and applied research agenda.
5. We worked closely with an Advisory Group of consumers, providers and other individuals involved in planning for the delivery of health care services for people with disabilities.
   
   

Focus Group Results

Publications