Disabilities and Health

Abstract

The authors believe that a coordinated national agenda on health and wellness research regarding persons with disabilities that (a) focuses disparate national efforts and (b) advances a unified holistic model is needed. They propose a framework for such an agenda that includes five core principles and six issue areas, with recommendations. The five principles address good health as a normative expectation, a theory-driven knowledge base, heterogeneity of the disability experience, translation of research to practice, and coordinated research. Funding entities, scientific researchers, and disability communities must begin working with an integrated conceptualization of disability; facilitating diagnostic-specific and cross-disability research; recognizing diversity within the disability population; promoting opportunity, accessibility, and accountability; prioritizing application of research into practice; and coordinating research agendas among funding entities. It concludes with identifying key responsibilities for funding entities, researchers, and disability advocacy organizations and persons with disabilities.