The Issue

Four in 10 adults with disabilities reported experiencing unfair treatment in healthcare settings, at work, or when applying for public benefits because of their disabilities or other personal characteristics in 2022. 

Key Findings

• 71 percent of adults with disabilities who reported experiencing unfair treatment in healthcare settings reported a subsequent disruption to care, including delaying (54%) or forgoing (50%) needed care and not following clinician recommendations (31%).
• Almost half (46%) of adults with disabilities who experienced unfair treatment in workplaces reported looking for a new job because of the way they were treated. 
  
• About 71 percent of adults with disabilities who experienced unfair treatment in social service settings had difficulty receiving public benefits, including delaying (45%) or forgoing (57%) benefits.
  
• Black and Hispanic/Latinx adults with disabilities were more likely to report unfair treatment because of their race, ethnicity, country of origin, or primary language compared to White adults with disabilities. 
  

Conclusion

Despite laws prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities, unequal treatment persists. Improving equity for people with disability for people with disabilities requires continuous investment from policymakers and the public and private sectors.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.