The Impact of COVID-19 on Persons With Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Literature

Abstract

The first case of COVID-19 was reported in the United States in January 2020. To date, the U.S. reports more than 87 million confirmed cases and more than 1 million related deaths. In the U.S., published research suggests that COVID-19 transmission and prevention practices presented challenges for people with disabilities regarding job status and access to services. To explore the impact of COVID-19 on employment and service provision for persons with disabilities (PWD), the authors performed a systematic review of published quantitative and qualitative studies conducted in the U.S. from January 2020 through December 2021. From the 19 identified studies, findings were grouped into three themes: employment, quality of life, and coping. The impact of COVID-19 and other adverse events (e.g., global pandemic, supply chain issues, financial recession, hurricanes, flooding, wildfires) on the provision of vocational rehabilitation services and employment outcomes for persons with disabilities should be further explored. Based on review findings, the COVID-19 Lived Experiences Scale for Persons with Disabilities (CLES-PWD) was created to understand the experiences of PWD in terms of their employment, quality of life, and coping. The CLES-PWD can serve as a tool for vocational rehabilitation professionals when providing employment planning to enhance employment outcomes.

Impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la calidad de vida de para-futbolistas con lesión cerebral (Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life among para-footballers with brain impairment)

“…Furthermore, individuals with disabilities have experienced exceptional levels of stress due to various environmental changes brought on by COVID-19, often without support or guidance on coping strategies (Umucu & Lee, 2020). In a recent study, Tichy et al (2022) conducted a systematic review of 19 published studies to summarize what is currently known about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals with disabilities. The findings suggest that COVID-19 had a negative impact on areas such as employment, quality of life, and coping strategies for people with disabilities.…”