Decline in Preventive Heart Screenings Among Disabled Adults During the Pandemic

A recent comprehensive study conducted by researchers from the University of Delaware and George Mason University highlights a troubling trend: the significant decrease in preventive cardiovascular screenings among adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, analyzed data from over 150,000 U.S. adults spanning 2019 to 2023, revealing that individuals with disabilities faced disproportionate barriers to maintaining essential health checkups.

During the pandemic years, adults with disabilities were notably more likely to delay or completely forego critical preventive care, even after adjusting for factors such as income, employment status, and insurance coverage. Screenings for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose—key indicators in preventing heart disease—declined markedly across most disability groups. For instance, blood pressure screening rates among adults with cognitive disabilities dropped from 89% in 2019 to 83% in 2021, and blood glucose screenings for those with multiple disabilities fell from 83.9% to 78.4%.

Although some improvement was observed in cholesterol screening rates for adults with sensory disabilities by 2023, other groups did not experience the same recovery. Additionally, adults with cognitive and physical disabilities reported higher unmet medical needs primarily due to costs—a disparity that persisted despite socioeconomic adjustments during the pandemic.

Given that individuals with disabilities are already at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, these gaps in preventive care are particularly alarming. Structural barriers such as inaccessible healthcare facilities, inadequate provider training, communication challenges, and limited access to telehealth and transportation services have historically hindered healthcare delivery for this population. The pandemic appears to have exacerbated these preexisting inequities, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable access to preventive cardiology services.

The findings call for systemic reforms to overcome these longstanding barriers and prioritize health equity for people with disabilities, especially amid ongoing healthcare disruptions.