Discrimination and Access to Healthcare for People with Disabilities: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: People with disabilities face many challenges on a daily basis. Despite legislative advances and inclusion policies, discrimination against people with disabilities persists in various areas of life, including access to health services. Aim: This study aims to conduct an integrative literature review to investigate the factors associated with discrimination faced by people with disabilities in health services. Materials and Methods: The search was conducted in February 2024 in the IBECS, Lilacs, BDEnf, Medline (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The health descriptors (DeCS) “people with disabilities,” “social discrimination,” and “health services” were used. Original articles available in full, from the last five years, and in any language were included. The exclusion criteria were duplicate articles and those that did not answer the guiding question. Results: A total of 162 records were identified, from which 17 studies were selected, resulting in a final sample of 10 articles. The main factors associated with the discriminatory experiences faced by people with disabilities when accessing and using the health system were “stigmatization,” “negligence,” “prejudice,” and “access difficulties.” Conclusions: Significant drivers of discrimination were identified, including financial barriers, lack of training for health professionals, and other gaps that generate prejudice, stigmatization, and neglect. It is essential to implement public policies to ensure service accessibility, provide financial assistance for people with disabilities, establish training programs for health professionals, and conduct more research on this subject.