Performance of the Washington Group questions in measuring blindness and deafness.

The Washington Group Short Set (WGSS) questions are intended to measure the severity of disability and disability status in US federal surveys. We used data from the 2010-2018 National Health Interview Survey to examine the performance of the WGSS visual disability and hearing disability questions in capturing blindness and deafness. We found that the WGSS questions failed to capture 35.

A year of disability health equity milestones: Why disability data is still needed.

Three milestone disability health equity related decisions occurred between September 2023 and May 2024. Though each is to be celebrated in its own right, the continued failure to collect and/or limitations with disability data block the path to achieving disability health equity in the US.

Disability inclusion in national surveys.

National surveys are important for understanding the disparities that disabled people experience across social determinants of health; however, limited research has examined the methods used to include disabled people in these surveys. This study reviewed nationally representative surveys administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Census Bureau that collected data in the past 5 years and sampled adults ≥18 years. Data from both publicly available online survey documents and a questionnaire emailed to survey administrators were used to determine whether surveys (1) oversampled disabled people, (2) had a data-accessibility protocol to support data collection, and (3) provided multiple data-collection modalities (eg, phone, paper).

The role of perceived social support in subjective wellbeing among working-age U.S. adults with and without limitations in activities of daily living.

Background: Perceived social support may enhance subjective wellbeing (SWB) for adults with activities of daily living (ADL) limitations. However, little is known about how social support may mediate (explain) and/or moderate SWB differences among U.S.

Disability Mortality Disparity: Risk Of Mortality For Disabled Adults Nearly Twice That For Nondisabled Adults, 2008-19.

After years of advocacy by the disability community and allied organizations, on September 26, 2023, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) designated disabled people as a health disparities population in the US. During its deliberations, the NIMHD emphasized that there was not sufficient empirical evidence on health disparities between disabled and nondisabled adults. My study addressed this gap by examining 2008-19 data from the National Health Interview Survey Linked Mortality Files on people ages eighteen and older to identify, categorize, and quantify disparities in mortality risk among disabled and nondisabled adults.

Covid-19 patterns among adults with intellectual and developmental disability and the general population in New York state during the first year of the pandemic.

Background: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the US, especially those living in group homes, experienced comparatively higher Covid-19 case/case fatality rates than the general population during the first year of the pandemic. There is no information about the patterns of case/case fatality rates during this time.

Objective: This study compared Covid-19 case/case fatality rates among people with IDD living in residential group homes to the general population across the first year of the pandemic in New York State (NYS).

Educational Attainment and Perceived Need for Future ADL Assistance.

The current study examined whether educational attainment was associated with perceived need of assistance with future activities of daily living (ADL) among middle-aged and early older-aged adults in the United States. Data for 54,946 adults aged 40-65 years from the 2011-2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were analyzed using ordered logistic regression. Adults with more education will on average need less ADL assistance than adults with less education.

Counting disability in the National Health Interview Survey and its consequence: Comparing the American Community Survey to the Washington Group disability measures.

Background: The objective of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to provide data that can be used to monitor the health of the US population.

Objective: In this study, we evaluate whether the disability questions currently used in the NHIS - the Washington Group questions - threaten the ability of this survey to fulfil its stated objective for disabled people.

Methods: Data were from the 2011-2012 NHIS with linkage to mortality status through 2019.

Health equity for people with intellectual and developmental disability requires vast improvements to data collection: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically underscored the lack of proper health surveillance for people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) in the USA. This data equity failure resulted in researchers having to rely on nontraditional data sources to develop an understanding of how this population was faring during the pandemic. To begin addressing this data equity concern, in this commentary, we (1) discuss the difficulties in accessing data during the pandemic specifically related to people with IDD; (2) provide guidance regarding how existing data can be used to examine COVID-19 outcomes for people with IDD; and (3) provide recommendations for improving data collection for people with IDD in light of lessons learned during the pandemic.

Age differences in long-term mortality among male nonveterans, noncombat veterans, and combat veterans.

Research documenting differences in mortality risk across the life course between veterans and nonveterans has not accounted for combat status. To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined differences in long-term mortality among midlife and older-adult male nonveterans, noncombat veterans, and combat veterans. Data were drawn from Wave 2 (2004/2005) of the Midlife Development in the United States survey and linked to 2020 mortality data (N = 2,024).

Reporting Down syndrome on the death certificate for Alzheimer disease/unspecified dementia deaths.

Background: Death certificates are crucial for understanding population health trends including the burden of disease mortality. Accurate reporting of causes of death on these records is necessary in order to implement adequate public health policies and fund disease research. While there is evidence that Alzheimer disease and unspecified dementia are prevalent among people with Down syndrome, a 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rule change instructing that Down syndrome should be reported as the underlying cause of death in instances when death occurred from Alzheimer disease or unspecified dementia threatens the accuracy and the utility of death certificates for this population.

COVID-19 mortality burden and comorbidity patterns among decedents with and without intellectual and developmental disability in the US.

Background: While there is ample evidence of increased COVID-19 mortality risk among people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD), research has not documented whether this higher risk resulted in increased COVID-19 mortality burden in the US or whether comorbidity patterns among COVID-19 deaths are similar or distinct for people with IDD.

Objective: To determine the differences in COVID-19 mortality burden between decedents with and without IDD during the first year of the pandemic.

Methods: This study uses 2020 US death certificate data to compare COVID-19 mortality burden and comorbidity patterns among decedents with and without IDD.

Postmortem Diagnostic Overshadowing: Reporting Cerebral Palsy on Death Certificates.

Postmortem diagnostic overshadowing-defined as inaccurately reporting a disability as the underlying cause of death-occurs for over half of adults with cerebral palsy. This practice obscures cause of death trends, reducing the effectiveness of efforts to reduce premature mortality among this marginalized health population. Using data from the National Vital Statistics System 2005 to 2017 U.

Racial-ethnic inequities in age at death among adults with/without intellectual and developmental disability in the United States.

To identify potential differences in racial-ethnic inequities in mortality between adults with/without intellectual and developmental disability, we compared patterns in age at death by race-ethnic status among adults who did/did not have intellectual and developmental disability reported on their death certificate in the United States. Data were from the 2005-2017 U.S.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the age pattern of adult mortality.

We draw upon the life-course perspective and examine whether Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) moderates the age pattern of adult mortality using data from the 2007 and 2012 National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult File linked to National Death Index data through 2015. Overall, 7.0% of respondents died by 2015.

Age differences in allostatic load among veterans: The importance of combat exposure.

The current study examinedage differences in allostatic load among nonveterans, noncombat veterans, and combat veterans. Participants included 280 individuals from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) survey, including 164 veterans (n = 48 combat veterans; n = 116 noncombat veterans) and 116 nonveterans. Age differences in allostatic load were similar among nonveterans and noncombat veterans, B = 0.

Cause of death trends among adults with and without cerebral palsy in the United States, 2013-2017.

Background: Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) in the United States die much earlier than those without CP, a health inequality likely shaped by causes of death. Existing research has not considered demographic differences in mortality patterns.

Objectives: To analyze differences in cause of death for adults who did/did not have CP reported on their death certificates and to assess sex and racial-ethnic difference in causes of death among adult decedents with CP.

Expanding Understanding of Racial-Ethnic Differences in ADHD Prevalence Rates among Children to Include Asians and Alaskan Natives/American Indians.

Background: Prior studies show that ADHD prevalence rates vary by race-ethnicity, but these studies do not include a full range of racial-ethnic minority groups.

Objective: This study aimed to understand differences in ADHD prevalence among children across a wider range of racial-ethnic groups, overall and stratified by biological sex.

Method: Data on children aged 5 to 17 from the 2004 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey Sample Child Files were used in analyses ( = 120,129).

Risk Factors Associated With COVID-19 Outcomes Among People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Receiving Residential Services.

Importance: Although there is evidence of more severe COVID-19 outcomes, there is no information describing the risk factors for COVID-19 diagnosis and/or mortality among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) receiving residential support services in the US.

Objective: To identify associations between demographic characteristics, residential characteristics, and/or preexisting health conditions and COVID-19 diagnosis and mortality for people with IDD receiving residential support services.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study tracked COVID-19 outcomes for 543 individuals with IDD.

COVID-19 case-fatality disparities among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Evidence from 12 US jurisdictions.

Background: There is evidence from two US states that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at more severe risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has not explored whether this increased risk is consistent across the US.

Objective: This study compared COVID-19 case-fatality rates among people with IDD in 11 states and the District of Columbia that are publicly reporting data.

Uncertainty and the reporting of intellectual disability on death certificates: a cross-sectional study of US mortality data from 2005 to 2017.

Objective: To investigate whether uncertainty surrounding the death is associated with the inaccurate reporting of intellectual disability as the underlying cause of death.

Design: National Vital Statistics System 2005-2017 US Multiple Cause-of-Death Mortality files.

Setting: USA.

Assessing state level variation in signature authority and cause of death accuracy, 2005-2017.

This study utilized a convergent mixed-methods design to examine whether variation in death certificate certifier type predicts the accuracy of cause of death reporting in the US. We analyzed the content of state statutes, amendments, and policies concerning cause of death signature authority in 2005-2017 to create the Cause of Death Signature Authority (CoDSA) database. After merging the CoDSA data with 2005-2017 National Vital Statistics System Multiple Cause of Death Mortality files for adults with cerebral palsy (CP) ( = 29,996), we employed logistic regression models to determine the likelihood that different certifier groups made one particular type of death certification error - inaccurately reporting CP as the underlying cause of death (UCOD).

COVID-19 outcomes among people with intellectual and developmental disability in California: The importance of type of residence and skilled nursing care needs.

Background: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) appear to be at greater risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19. The roles of congregate living and skilled nursing care needs in this disparity are unclear.

Objective: To determine the impact of residential setting and level of skilled nursing care on COVID-19 outcomes for people receiving IDD services, compared to those not receiving IDD services.

Evidence of continued reduction in the age-at-death disparity between adults with and without intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Background: This study examines recent trends in the age-at-death disparity between adults with and without intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the United States.

Method: Data were from the 2005-2017 U.S.