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The impacts of COVID-19 on people with disabilities: a rapid review. Disability Inclusion Helpdesk Query No: 35

MEANIE-DAVIS, Jessie
LEE, Harri
CORBY, Nick
April 2020

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There is currently very limited data and evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 on people with disabilities and pre-existing health conditions, with no disability-disaggregated data on mortality rates available in the public sphere. However, reports from the media, disability advocates and disabled peoples’ organisations (DPOs) point to several emerging impacts, including primary and secondary impacts including on health, education, food security and livelihoods.  Most of the available data is from high income countries (HICs) though reports from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are likely to emerge. Evidence was gathered by a rapid desk based review. Gaps are identified. 

 

The section concerned with lessons drawn from similar epidemics draws heavily on lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2016, and touches on lessons from the Zika outbreak in 2015-2016 and the SARS pandemic in the early 2000s.10 It also touches briefly on SARS, MERS and H1N1 (swine flu). 

 

Primary and secondary impacts of COVID-19 on people with disabilities are reviewed.


People with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 not only because it can exacerbate underlying medical conditions, but because of attitudinal, environmental and institutional barriers to their participation in and benefit from the pandemic response. For example, inaccessible public health messaging and healthcare facilities, and stigma and discrimination.

Factsheet. Maternal health and rehabilitation

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL;
March 2017

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Maternal health concerns the health and wellbeing of mothers from before pregnancy (pre-conception), during pregnancy (ante-natal), during and after childbirth (peri- and post-natal). Common impairments and activity limitations from obstetric fistulae, pelvic floor dysfunction, maternal depression and musculoskeletal disorders are outlined and examples of rehabilitation strategies are given. A case study of fistula in Burundi is reported.

HIV & AIDS and rehabilitation. Factsheet.

HANDICAP INTERNATIONAL
March 2017

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The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that makes the immune system collapse, making a person totally defenceless to infections. A person living with HIV may experience episodic and/or chronic impairments. These may result from illness and/or from treatment side effects, in particular: general fatigue and weight loss; neurological disorders; mental and cognitive disorders such as dementia; and joint and muscle problems. Different examples of rehabilitation across the care cycle are given. A case study in India is provided.
 

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