Open AccessCommunity Engagement in Health Care: An Approach to Improve Health Care Access for People with Disabilities
Author(s) -
Dianne Sabat,
Michael Richardson,
Kathe F. Matrone,
Darrin Umbarger,
Angela Weaver
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
disability studies quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2159-8371
pISSN - 1041-5718
DOI - 10.18061/dsq.v37i3.5254
Subject(s) - community engagement , health care , community health , health equity , government (linguistics) , public relations , nursing , business , psychology , medicine , public health , political science , linguistics , philosophy , law
People with disabilities (PWD) experience significant health disparities, at least partly due to difficulties accessing health care. These difficulties are multi-focal, including difficulties with transportation, effective communication, physical accessibility, and provider attitudes. Community engagement offers one method for working with local communities around health care access for PWD. By engaging PWD and the local infrastructure (e.g., providers, government, transportation, advocates), unique solutions are generated and awareness in the community is increased. We describe the use of our approach "Community Engagement in Health Care" with one such Oregon community.