Disabled people's experiences accessing healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

BMC Health Serv Res. 2023 Apr 6;23(1):346. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-09336-4.

Abstract

Background: Disruptions to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic are well-recognised problems. However, a dearth of research exists on disabled people's experiences with accessing these services. A scoping review was undertaken to identify and explore research on the experience of disabled people in accessing healthcare services between 2020 and 6 February 2023.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and OVID were employed to search for research that included the voice of disabled people, or their parents or caregivers. Over two distinct phases, a total of 2,201 articles were reviewed according to article titles, keywords, and abstracts. Eighty-one studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria; these were reviewed in full.

Results: Eighteen studies specifically described the experiences of accessing healthcare or disability services, and sixty-three raised healthcare challenges as a secondary consideration. Many disabled people struggled to access healthcare services and felt they were invisible; as a result, individuals' mental health was negatively affected. Disabled people with compounding vulnerabilities were at the most risk of experiencing a lack of healthcare access.

Conclusions: There is an urgent need for research and policy that is responsive to disabled people's access to healthcare during the pandemic; currently many health policies are 'disability-blind' and exclude these members of the global community. Furthermore, to assist in creating disability-responsive research, funding needs to prioritise researchers within the disabled community.

Keywords: COVID-19; Consumer voice; Disability; Experiences; Healthcare; Healthcare access; Qualitative methods; Scoping review.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Disabled Persons*
  • Health Services
  • Health Services Accessibility
  • Humans
  • Pandemics