Making healthy decisions and taking care of ourselves is important to how we interact with others, perform at work and school, and our ability to focus.
Each of us brings factors that may influence our decisions and health differently: our age, experience, understanding of resources and our health overall, information we get from our providers, family support, spiritual support, everyday practices (e.g., cooking, activity, how the family handles stress), and our overall culture.
By ensuring you make healthy decisions, you might prevent future illness or reverse any health risks you already have.
General information from national and state-specific resources show that making healthy decisions can be difficult and, as a result, many people (of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities) experience a variety of health issues.
Individuals with at least one disability are more likely to be inactive (43% vs. 24.3%), have high blood pressure (42.9% vs. 26.8%), smoke (30.6% vs 14.6%), and be obese (39.6% vs 25.3%) (Centers for Disease Control ref). With more than 31% of West Virginians reporting some type of disability, it is important we focus on these health concerns and the decisions that go into them and provide resources to help make healthy lifestyle decisions. See the Adults with Disabilities Infographic.
Establishing and maintaining a connection with a local health provider that you trust and value is an important piece to maintaining your health as well.
Disability and Health Resources
CDC Resources
- Data and Statistics on Disability and Health
- Tips for Communicating with Female Patients with Intellectual Disabilities
- Disability and Health Healthy Living