Objectives. The purposes of this study were ( 1) to identify disparities between adults with developmental disabilities and non-disabled adults in health and medical care, and ( 2) to compare this pattern of disparities to the pattern of disparities between adults with other disabilities and adults without disabilities. Methods. The authors compared data on health status, health risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and utilization of medical care across three groups of adults: No Disability, Disability, and Developmental Disability. Data sources were the 2001 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the North Carolina National Core Indicators survey. Results. Adults with developmental disabilities were more likely to lead sedentary lifestyles and seven times as likely to report inadequate emotional support, compared with adults without disabilities. Adults with disabilities and developmental disabilities were significantly more likely to report being in fair or poor health than adults without disabilities. Similar rates of tobacco use and overweight/obesity were reported. Adults with developmental disabilities had a similar or greater risk of having four of five chronic health conditions compared with non-disabled adults. Significant medical care utilization disparities were found for breast and cervical cancer screening as well as for oral health care. Adults with developmental disabilities presented a unique risk for inadequate emotional support and low utilization of breast and cervical cancer screenings. Conclusions. Significant disparities in health and medical care utilization were found for adults with developmental disabilities relative to non-disabled adults. The National Core Indicators protocol offers a sound methodology to gather much-needed surveillance information on the health status, health risk behaviors, and medical care utilization of adults with developmental disabilities. Health promotion efforts must be specifically designed for this population.

North Carolina women were surveyed to examine whether women's disability status was associated with their risk of being assaulted within the past year. Women's violence experiences were classified into three groups: no violence, physical assault only (without sexual assault), and sexual assault (with or without physical assault). Multivariable analysis revealed that women with disabilities were not significantly more likely than women without disabilities to have experienced physical assault alone within the past year (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.62 to 2.27); however, women with disabilities had more than 4 times the odds of experiencing sexual assault in the past year compared to women without disabilities (OR = 4.89, 95% CI = 2.21 to 10.83).

Domestic violence programs in North Carolina provide services to women with disabilities but are faced with challenges stemming from limited funding, physical space, and training. Collaborations between domestic violence and disability service providers are necessary to improving the services and care delivered to women with disabilities who experience domestic violence.

This study examines risk factors associated with placement in special education in the first grade. The purpose is to help identify children in need of early intervention services. Methods: Records for children enrolled in first-grade special education on December 1, 1998 were linked to birth certificate records for 1990, 1991, and 1992. Child Service Coordination (CSC) records were also linked to identify the children who received CSC services and the associated risk conditions. Results: Children were more likely to receive special education services if they were low birth weight, low gestational age, had a low Apgar score or a congenital anomaly, or were part of a multiple birth. Familial factors that increased the odds of special education placement were low parental education, less than adequate prenatal care, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and parental/familial limitations such as difficulty in parent-infant bonding or limited social skills. Conclusions: By considering both environmental/familial and child-level factors, we can better ensure that at-risk children are identified and referred for early intervention services.

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