disability fact 1

"Disability and the world There are an estimated one billion people with disabilities, 80% of whom live in low- and middle-income settings. People with disabilities are more likely to be poor, and are also vulnerable to exclusion from education, employment and social participation more generally. Health is also a common concern among people with disabilities, and the relationship between disability and health is complex. People with disabilities on average are more likely to experience poor health, and so will have higher needs for accessing health care services. These services may be for general healthcare (e.g., vaccination, sexual and reproductive healthcare, or cancer services) or those specifically related to their impairment (e.g., ophthalmology, assistive devices, physiotherapy). Yet, people with disabilities often report experiencing difficulties accessing services, receiving lower-quality services and paying more for healthcare services. Together, this means that people with disabilities are being left behind in terms of improving access to health, which will make achievement of Universal Health Coverage difficult.