Minority Groups Face Higher Rates of Disability & Incontinence With Less Access to Medicaid (2024)

Health disparities refer to the differences in health outcomes, care, and conditions that vary between groups of people in the U.S. These disparities can be measured by factors, such as:

• Incidence rates.
• Mortality rates.
• Life expectancy.
• Health status.
• Health insurance coverage.
• Quality of care.
• Affordability of and access to care.
• Disease prevalence.
• Presence of disabilities.

Such disparities are widespread across diverse groups, including those defined by gender, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and geographic location.

Minority groups have historically faced the greatest health inequities among populations affected by health disparities. Populations facing racial health disparities include but are not limited to: African Americans, Latinos, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, American Indians or American Natives.

Minority groups facing racial health disparities may experience:

• Higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, etc.
• Higher premature death rates.
• Higher rates of disabilities, such as autism, Down syndrome (DS), cerebral palsy (CP), etc.
• Higher rates of incontinence.
• Less access to Medicaid or other insurance resources.
• Low income.
• Less access or affordability to health care.

According to the National Disability Institute, “14% of working-age African Americans have a disability compared to 11% of Non-Hispanic Whites, and 8% of Latinos.” African Americans are also more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have disabilities in each age group. Another study showed that non-Hispanic African Americans have the highest prevalence of severe disability among all racial groups.

In a study of non-Hispanic White, Chinese, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic men, it was shown that non-Hispanic Black men reported the highest rates of urge incontinence (13%), with 11% of Hispanic men experiencing urge incontinence. Non-Hispanic Black men also showed the highest prevalence of any urinary incontinence compared to White men.

According to the CDC, Black children were more likely to have a disability (2.82%) than Hispanic (1.77%), White children (1.76%), and Asian children (0.72%).

The prevalence of disabilities among Minority groups has contributed to a number of factors, such as lack of access to quality health care, housing barriers, socioeconomic barriers, educational barriers, and victimization rates.

Many individuals of all ages with special needs may experience incontinence (loss of bladder and / or bowel control) at some point. However, since certain Minority groups have higher rates of disabilities and less access to affordable health care, incontinence may be more prevalent and untreated among these populations.

According to a study from the National Library of Medicine that compared the rates of incontinence among over 2,000 middle-aged and older Hispanic, White, Black, and Asian-American women, Hispanic women were found to have the highest prevalence (36%) of weekly incontinence. The same study identified that Black women have higher rates of urge incontinence.

While more data is needed as Minority groups are underrepresented in incontinence studies, its shown that “urinary incontinence disproportionately affects women of color.”

Unfortunately, due to socioeconomic factors, lack of healthcare access, and cultural stigmas that influence how often incontinence is reported among children in Minority groups, there isn’t comprehensive data that focuses on the prevalence of incontinence in children in Minority groups.

References

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‌CDC. (2019, October 25). Infographic: Adults with Disabilities: Ethnicity and Race. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/materials/infographic-disabilities-ethnicity-race.html

‌Acknowledging the Unseen Diaper Divide: Incontinence Product Access for All People Written by Marlee Septak. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2024, from https://aeroflowurology.com/media/amasty/amfile/attach/j75G5RPnRw5ba04jrBbph9oxx73dK1uH.pdf

‌National Minority Health Month: The Double Burden for Minorities with Disabilities - NACCHO. (n.d.). www.naccho.org. https://www.naccho.org/blog/articles/national-minority-health-month-the-double-burden-for-minorities-with-disabilities

‌Thom, D. H., van den Eeden, S. K., Ragins, A. I., Wassel-Fyr, C., Vittinghof, E., Subak, L. L., & Brown, J. S. (2006). Differences in Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence by Race/Ethnicity. The Journal of Urology, 175(1), 259–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(05)00039-X

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