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Health and Wellness

for Women with Disabilities

photos of women  

As many as one in five women in the United States are living with disabilities. “Disability” is a broad term that encompasses a sizable range of conditions and diseases. It refers generally to a limitation in physical or mental function caused by one or more health conditions. Depending on the definition used, 19.9 to 28.6 million U.S. women have disabilities – and the number is growing.

Women are more frequently affected by many of the conditions that cause disability, and well over half of all women older than 65 are living with a disability. The most common are associated with chronic conditions such as back disorders, arthritis, heart disease, respiratory problems, and high blood pressure. Disabilities may also result from injuries or birth defects.

Women who experience disability from a large and important group of people who can benefit from public health efforts, according to JoAnn Thierry of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s disability and health team. In addition to the same health concerns as nondisabled women, women with disabilities have conditions that make them more vulnerable to a range of secondary conditions such as pain, fatigue, osteoporosis, obesity, and depression.

CDC’s disability and health team has targeted women with disabilities as a major area of emphasis and works to promote their health and well-being through research, partnerships, and education. CDC funds projects around the United States to improve surveillance and promotes research that focuses on women with disabilities as a special subpopulation.
 

 

Topic Contents

Breast Cancer Screening

Access to Health Care

Physical Activity

Abuse

Quick Links

4 Women Health

The Center for Research on Women with Disabilities

The National Center on Physical Activity & Disability

The North Carolina Office on Disability and Health

Chartbook for Women

Breast Health Access for Women with Disabilities
 


Resources

Publications

Provider's Guide for Care

Removing Barriers to Health Care

 

 

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) promotes the health of babies, children, and adults, and enhances the potential for full, productive living.  Our work includes identifying the causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities.