OUTREACH WITH PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Health Promotion Strategies

Persons with disabilities need public health programs and health care services for the same reasons anyone does—to be healthy, active, and engaged as part of the community. Disability inclusion involves gathering input from persons with disabilities and providing them with tools and information to make healthy choices and learn ways to prevent illness. Persons with disabilities are best served by public health when they are included in all programs and activities, such as: ο Education and counseling programs that promote physical activity, improve nutrition, or reduce the use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. ο Blood pressure and cholesterol assessment during annual health exams, and screening for illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. ο Engage family, caregivers, and others who are important influencers for persons with disabilities. Caregivers can act as conduits of information related to diabetes prevention. However, take care not to exclude the person with a disability by “othering” or “talking around them” when engaging a caregiver or family member. ο Partner with trusted community organizations that have a strong reputation advocating for persons with disabilities—and can serve as program recruiters, organizers, promoters, and leaders. ο Engage health care providers to help promote and recruit for the program. Individuals with disabilities often rely on their health care teams for long-term care; these teams may include rehabilitation professionals, physical therapists, nutritionists, and primary and specialty care providers. ο Ensure accessibility and provide accommodations for participants. To provide accessible environments, make sure you have any needed assistive technologies and communicate information effectively to all parties involved. Consider partnering with disability organizations for support to ensure inclusion. ο Provide specially trained lifestyle coaches to guide participants through the program and provide individualized follow-up. To ensure that persons with all disabilities feel welcomed and can fully participate and succeed in the program, lifestyle coaches should prepare to address a range of environmental, physical, programmatic, and emotional barriers and challenges with specially developed materials and learning methodologies. Examples include addressing learning disabilities such as dyslexia, as well as color blindness, which can also affect learning, with specially developed materials and learning methodologies. ο To support the implementation of your program within the community and fully address the needs of persons with disabilities, consider these strategies for communicating effectively both with and on behalf of persons with disabilities.

Suggested health promotion strategies for National DPP LCPs are listed below.

Person who uses a wheelchair

Emphasize abilities, not limitations

Do not use language that suggests a lack of something

Emphasize the need for accessibility, not the disability

Do not use offensive language

Avoid language that implies negative stereotypes

Do not portray people with disabilities as inspirational only because of their disability

Confined or restricted to a wheelchair, wheelchair bound

Person who uses a device to speak Can’t talk, mute

Person with a disability

Person of short stature

Person with cerebral palsy

Person with epilepsy or seizure disorder

Person with multiple sclerosis

Accessible parking or bathroom

Person with a physical disability

Person with an intellectual, cognitive, developmental disability

Person with an emotional or behavioral disability, a mental health impairment, or a psychiatric disability

Person without a disability

Person who is successful, productive

Disabled, handicapped

Midget

Cerebral palsy victim

Epileptic

Afflicted by multiple sclerosis

Handicapped parking or bathroom

Crippled, lame, deformed, invalid, spastic

Slow, simple, moronic, defective, afflicted, special person

Insane, crazy, psycho, maniac, nuts

Normal person, healthy person

Has overcome his/her disability, is courageous

Benefits Of The National Dpp Lifestyle Change Program

ο The National DPP LCP can be empowering and offers participants an opportunity to be in charge of their health. For some persons with disabilities, this is a welcome experience and may foster a feeling of independence.

ο A proven program with a lifestyle coach offers participants a go-to source for accurate information and tested practices that work.

ο With an organized and structured program, you are able to engage and guide persons with disabilities to lead a healthy lifestyle and reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.

ο The program provides an in-person or virtual group setting—along with tailored content—that allows participants to receive community support while facing their own challenges on the road to a healthy lifestyle to prevent type 2 diabetes. The group setting provides an environment for sharing different ideas and perspectives with other participants, including motivation for individual success.

Seeking Health Information

Communication platforms, such as those used by online bloggers and social influencers, often provide health information across disability communities and channels. Word-of-mouth communication through testimonials may offer a great opportunity for LCP promotion, as persons with disabilities may be more likely to trust individuals who describe their similar challenges and experiences. Whether a person receives accurate health information may also be driven by social determinants of health, including access to health care and information and health insurance coverage.

The internet is a valuable health information resource for many persons with disabilities who may experience transportation barriers to visiting their health care provider (e.g., physician’s office or clinic). These individuals may more readily search online for health information and medical treatments. Persons with disabilities may also be more likely to initiate online communication with health care providers and educators to learn about enhancing their health through lifestyle changes, such as nutrition and physical activity. It is recommended that programs refer persons with disabilities to credible health organizations, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other government sites, for medical information.