Special Olympics Fights
Against Institutional Discrimination in Medical and Dental
Community
Groundbreaking studies commissioned by
Special Olympics found disturbing evidence that individuals
with intellectual disabilities face widespread
discrimination in their access to health care, and
physicians, dentists and other health professionals are not
receiving adequate training to treat them.
The studies prove many anecdotal stories of dismal health
care access for people with intellectual disabilties
correct. Cindy Bentley from Wisconsin tells a familiar tale
of the plight for health care that many people with
intellectual disabilities struggle with everyday. "I always
have problems. Finding a doctor who takes my insurance is
very hard. If I call and say I have Medicare or Title 19,
people turn me away all the time and don't want to have
anything to do with me," she said. Title 19 refers to a
provision within the U.S. Social Security Act that provides
for the payment of health-care services for certain
procedures for eligible individuals.
The studies are some of the largest and most comprehensive
research studies ever conducted on the barriers to health
care for people with intellectual disabilities. Sponsored
by Special Olympics with the support of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the studies were led
by Stephen Corbin, DDS, MPH, Dean of Special Olympics
University and Director of Health & Research Initiatives,
and Mathew Holder, MD, MBA, Global Medical Advisor for
Special Olympics and Executive Director of the American
Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry.
"The health of people with intellectual disabilities is
much worse than that of people without disabilities,"
states Mary Helen Witten of the CDC. "Physicians, nurses
and other health care professionals are beginning to
recognize that people with intellectual disabilities often
do not have their health problems addressed and are often
in need of additional health care. Unfortunately medical
and dental schools often don't offer training or courses
that prepare students to address health needs of this
population."
Data from more than 15,000 health screenings on 4,700
athletes from 146 countries at the 2003 Special Olympics
World Summer Games in Ireland and the 2005 Special Olympics
World Winter Games in Japan, were analyzed, providing a
look into the world of health care for people with
intellectual disabilities. The data is the most extensive
ever collected on the health status and needs of people
with intellectual disabilities.
The research shows that more than one in three of the
athletes had not received an eye exam for more than three
years, and more than a quarter had never received one at
all. More than three in 10 athletes failed hearing tests,
which is nearly six times higher than rates seen in the
general population. More than a third of all athletes
screened had obvious signs of tooth decay, one-third needed
prescription eyewear and half of them received it for the
first time ever at the health screenings. The study also
revealed that half of the athletes screened had one or more
foot diseases or conditions.
A complementary study on the attitudes of health-care
professionals toward people with intellectual disabilities
was conducted by Dr. Holder. The study found disturbing
evidence that individuals with intellectual disabilities
face widespread discrimination in their access to health
care.
Dr. Holder used a Web-based survey system to distribute 17
surveys to six different groups represented by more than
2,500 people. Surveys were sent to U.S. medical and dental
school deans, U.S. medical and dental residency directors,
U.S. medical students and U.S. advocacy and patient care
groups.
"The full potential of people with intellectual
disabilities cannot be realized if there are significant
barriers to quality health care," said Holder. "The fact
that you would have to call 50 primary care doctors just to
find one that had a minimum amount of training to treat
someone with intellectual disabilities is a disgraceful
barometer of our society."
More than half of the deans and students who participated
in the survey responded that medical and dental school
graduates are not competent to treat persons with
intellectual disabilities. Almost three in five medical
school deans responded that clinical training regarding
intellectual disabilities is not a high priority at most
schools. An overwhelming majority of students claim they
are not receiving any clinical experience with people with
intellectual disabilities and more than three-fourths of
residency program directors say they are not providing any
clinical training either.
The studies emphasized Special Olympics' commitment not
only to athletics, but also to cutting-edge research and
evaluation to promote better understanding of issues
surrounding intellectual disabilities. Many Special
Olympics athletes cannot see the finish line to win a race,
and so Special Olympics created a program called Healthy
Athletes® to help alleviate some of the disparities to
health care access for people with intellectual
disabilities. Healthy Athletes provides health assessment,
health education, disease prevention and, in some cases,
corrective health care for Special Olympics athletes.
Volunteer health-care professionals who participate in
these screenings learn about the health needs of Special
Olympics athletes, and gain knowledge and confidence in
volunteering their clinical skills to work with people with
intellectual disabilities.
To find out more about Special Olympics and the health
needs of people with intellectual disabilities and how you
can help, please visit
www.specialolympics.org.
Special Olympics is an international organization that
changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and
inclusion between people with and without intellectual
disabilities. Through year-round sports training and
athletic competition and other related programming for over
1.7 million children and adults with intellectual
disabilities in more than 150 countries, Special Olympics
has created a model community that celebrates people's
diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver,
Special Olympics provides people with intellectual
disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their
potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage
and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to
participate in Special Olympics.
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