March 27, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB Department of Human Studies, along with United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham (UCP), has launched four statewide surveys examining the lack of health care for individuals with disabilities.
UAB Professor Brian Geiger, Ed.D., principal investigator for the Alabama surveys, points to past reports indicating that people with cognitive disabilities may not understand how behavior affects health or the benefits of regular check ups. And health care workers often face challenges obtaining accurate medical histories or communicating with patients with cognitive and language disabilities. Rising health care costs, a lack of services and transportation barriers may also keep the disabled from getting healthcare, Geiger said.
A 2004 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities revealed that 18 percent of those with disabilities went at least one year without medical care versus 11 percent of the population without disabilities.
The Alabama surveys will examine how caregivers of the disabled obtain health information and whether they can access needed social services and health insurance. Researchers also will identify the kinds of training medical professionals need to provide better care for the disabled, Geiger says. Data from the surveys will be used to develop training modules for students in various health fields. The training modules also will be available electronically through a partnership with the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, the designated Medline PlusTM Go Local partner for Alabama.
The statewide surveys are supported with a $70,000 grant from the Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities.
To volunteer for the statewide needs assessment surveys, call Brian Geiger, Ed.D., at 205-975-5388 or Jeri Jackson at United Cerebral Palsy at 1-800-654-4483.