How healthcare bias and ableism affect health for people with mobility disabilities
Determining the relationships between provider bias, experiences of ableism, and health outcomes for people with mobility disabilities
This project looks at whether biased attitudes from doctors and staff and patients' experiences of ableism relate to health, mood, pain, participation, and use of healthcare among adults with mobility disabilities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11161479 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to share your experiences of ableism in healthcare and complete questionnaires about your overall health, depression, anxiety, pain, participation, and quality of life. The team will also collect information about your use of healthcare services and, when possible, gather data about provider attitudes or practices. By linking patient reports with provider measures and healthcare use, the study aims to show how ableism in clinical settings connects to short- and long-term health outcomes. The focus is on adults with mobility disabilities who receive rehabilitative or routine care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with mobility disabilities who receive rehabilitation or routine healthcare would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without mobility disabilities, those under 21, or those not interacting with healthcare providers are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help healthcare systems recognize and reduce ableism, improving care quality, mental health, and access for people with mobility disabilities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has documented ableism and provider bias, but directly linking provider attitudes to patient health outcomes in mobility disability is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Worobey, Lynn a — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Worobey, Lynn a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.