New obstacles and widening gaps: A qualitative study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. adults with disabilities.
Sabrina Epstein, Jessica Campanile, Caroline Cerilli and 3 others
PMID 33840617WHAT IT FOUND
Thirty-eight U.S. adults with disabilities described how pandemic measures created new barriers.
Masks blocked communication for speech-readers, drive-through testing was inaccessible, and telehealth helped some but burdened others. These obstacles varied by disability type but affected every group in the study.
Key findings
01Thirty-four participants reported that pandemic information was inaccessible due to missing captions, missing sign language interpreters, or confusing content.
02Thirty-one participants found that standard prevention strategies like masking and social distancing created new disability-specific barriers to communication and daily care.
03Participants with hearing disabilities reported that masks obstructed speech-reading and reduced sound, while those with vision disabilities could not maintain safe social distance without visual cues.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was recruited through disability advocacy groups, meaning participants were already engaged in advocacy and may not represent the broader population of people with disabilities. Internet access was required for participation, which excludes people with disabilities who do not have reliable online access. Participants self-identified into one of six disability sub-groups, but many had multiple disabilities. The study could not capture the unique experiences of people with intersecting disabilities, such as deaf-blindness. The sample size was small at thirty-eight participants, and some focus groups had only two or three attendees instead of the planned four. The study did not collect data on education level, which may influence access to social capital and resources.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Johns Hopkins University 10x20 Challenge Grant. The authors declared no known conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high frequency of reported barriers as evidence that these problems are universal for all people with disabilities. The participants were recruited from advocacy groups and required internet access, so their experiences may not reflect those of disabled individuals who are less connected or less politically active.