Addressing Health Disparities at the Intersection of Disability, Race, and Ethnicity: the Need for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Training for Healthcare Professionals

Within the USA, nearly one in five, or 56.7 million people, live with a disability. Disabilities are ubiquitous; yet, health care professionals (both clinical and public health) lack training and competence to care for the general health needs and cultural considerations presented by people with disabilities. This problem is compounded when people with disabilities are from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. In order to prevent and eliminate the health disparities faced by people with disabilities, especially those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, health care professionals must have opportunities to learn about and discuss appropriate methods for dealing with the concerns of these populations. Morehouse School of Medicine created and implemented a course for MPH students that begins to address this issue.