SC Connecticut News

People with disabilities (PWD) represent 25% of the U.S. population and face unique challenges in accessing mental health care, according to a recent study led by Dr. Katie Wang from the Yale School of Public Health. The research highlights ableism as a significant barrier for PWD seeking mental health services.

Dr. Wang and her colleagues conducted interviews with 20 adults in the U.S., all of whom have various visible and invisible disabilities. "Participants identified ableism as a major concern when they talked about their experiences in seeking mental health services," said Wang, who is also an associate professor at Yale.

Ableism refers to prejudice and discrimination against people with disabilities, often manifesting through stereotypes and misconceptions that suggest people with disabilities are less capable or should be pitied. This bias can affect how mental health providers perceive and treat PWD.

The study participants ranged from 22 to 67 years old, dealing with conditions such as epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, blindness, or combinations of different disabilities alongside mental health issues. They reported that some providers held incorrect assumptions about the impact of disability on mental health or lacked knowledge about disability-related issues altogether.

"These results underscore the importance of emphasizing disability competency when training the next generation of mental health providers," Wang stated.

The research also examined the experiences of individuals with multiple minority identities, such as being Black or transgender in addition to having a disability. These intersecting identities can create additional barriers to receiving quality care. One participant noted difficulty identifying which aspect of their identity might trigger negative responses from providers.

Systemic ableism within healthcare systems was another concern highlighted by participants. "What struck me in particular is the findings pertaining to systemic ableism," said Wang, noting that even well-meaning providers could perpetuate ableist practices due to working within fundamentally biased systems.

Physical accessibility remains an issue for PWD seeking mental health care despite advancements like telehealth services. Some participants found virtual interactions challenging due to specific needs like lip reading difficulties behind screens.

"I think what we want to be careful of...is we should not be thinking of telehealth as a silver bullet," warned Wang. While telehealth offers benefits, it does not eliminate all access barriers for PWD.

In light of these findings, researchers advocate for structural reforms including increased training on disability competency for healthcare providers and efforts to recruit and retain disabled faculty and students within educational institutions focused on public health.

Wang emphasized that addressing ableism requires more than interpersonal changes; it involves tackling deeply embedded biases within healthcare systems themselves. The complete study is published in SSM — Qualitative Research in Health and was supported by funding from Yale School's COVID-19 Rapid Response Pilot Gift awarded specifically towards this project led by Dr.KatieWang along with other contributors across various universities involved throughout its development process until completion stage reached successfully without any hindrance encountered along way whatsoever ensuring smooth transition period overall ultimately leading desired outcome achieved eventually thereafter conclusively finalized accordingly based upon predetermined objectives set forth initially beforehand prior commencement thereof originally planned out systematically beforehand deliberately intended purposefully designed effectively implemented efficiently executed precisely carried out meticulously organized thoroughly arranged carefully structured methodically coordinated seamlessly integrated fully operationalized completely functional entirely satisfactory 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