Preventive heart screenings plunged for disabled adults in pandemic years

A new national study led by researchers at the University of Delaware and George Mason University highlights significant disparities in healthcare access for adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for preventive cardiovascular screenings.

Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the study analyzed data from more than 150,000 U.S. adults between 2019 and 2023. Researchers found that adults with disabilities were more likely to delay or forgo preventive care during the pandemic, even when accounting for changes in income, employment, insurance and other economic factors.

Screenings for conditions like high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose — all essential in preventing heart disease — declined across most disability groups. Among adults with cognitive disabilities, blood pressure screening rates fell from 89% in 2019 to 83% in 2021. Blood glucose screenings among adults with multiple disabilities dropped from 83.9% to 78.4%.

While cholesterol screening rates improved for adults with sensory disabilities by 2023, other groups did not see the same rebound.

The study also found that adults with cognitive and physical disabilities were significantly more likely to report unmet medical needs due to cost. Those disparities persisted even after adjusting for pandemic-related socioeconomic changes.

Researchers note that adults with disabilities are already at higher risk for cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in the United States — making continued gaps in preventive care especially concerning.

The findings underscore long-standing structural barriers in the health care system, including inaccessible facilities, limited provider training, communication challenges and uneven access to telehealth and transportation services. Although the pandemic disrupted care for many, the study suggests it exacerbated preexisting inequities for people with disabilities.