When you think of someone who has a disability, you may assume that they’re already getting the medical treatment they need. Sadly, this is not the case. There are many out there who are suffering some form of disability with barriers between them and medical treatment.
Some of these barriers are physical and obvious. Some of them are economical. And some of them take place entirely in the mind of the disabled person. Let’s take a look at the barriers someone with a disability is going to face.
The physical barriers
When people think about disabled people, they often imagine someone in a wheelchair. This should give you an immediate hint as to the physical barriers a disabled person will face. It’s so much harder for someone with a disability to leave their house. They don’t have to be wheelchair-bound or even bed-bound. If their knees don’t bend correctly or one of their arms can’t move, that can be enough to prevent someone from leaving their home.
So what is being done about this? Thankfully, advances are being made all the time. Telemedicine technology is becoming easier to use and gaining in popularity. Someone may not even need a computer with a webcam to have a virtual meeting with their doctor. People are becoming able to have consulting over their smartphones.
The financial barriers
When you go to the doctors, you usually have to take a small amount of time off work. Someone who is disabled may be working from home, but even then the hours they can pull off might not be enough to bring in a satisfactory wage. So sacrificing a few hours to go to the doctor will seem much less feasible to your average disabled person that it would to a fully-able person.
Actual costs also need to be considered. Medical upkeep of a disabled person can often be a drain on that person’s wallets. This can make them even more reluctant to sacrifice pay for a visit to the doctor. There’s also the potential cost of medical consultation to be factored in. If a disabled person is out of work and living on benefits, they may be unwilling to part with that pay for anything other than “essentials”. It’s vital that person in these positions research their eligibility for medical-financial assistance.
The psychological barriers
People with disabilities are more likely to suffer severe issues with their self-esteem. An able-bodied person with low self-esteem is less likely to go to a doctor than those with higher self-esteem. Concomitant problems with depression can often make these matters worse. So a person who is physically disabled as well as psychologically unwell is going to have an even tougher time. Your desire to leave the house is lessened dramatically if you believe you’re just going to get in people’s way.
This is another reason with telemedical advances are so important and useful. But alleviating this problem may need a more widespread, communal fix. All of us need to help change the cultural stigmas that are often attached to disabilities. A disabled person’s right to self-determination, respect, privacy and dignity should always be considered. A less hostile and more understanding cultural mindset might go a long way in helping someone’s self-esteem.
