AAHD Initiatives

AAHD is involved in numerous initiatives that focus on health promotion and wellness for people with disabilities. The following is a list of our most recent initiatives and links to additional information. We update this section quarterly.

2009-2010 Komen Race for the Cure Community-Based Grant
AAHD has received a Komen Race for the Cure Community-Based Grant for 2009-2010 to implement a comprehensive education and empowerment intervention for women with disabilities who face physical, cultural, and linguistic barriers in receiving breast health care services at mammogram facilities in the Komen Race for the Cure service area. This is a replicable program at the community/state level, and a portion of the program has already been successfully implemented in Montgomery County, Maryland. The grant will cover the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County in Maryland, Alexandria City in Virginia, and the following counties in Virginia: Fairfax, Loudon, Arlington, and Prince William. In addition to performing site visits and administering a comprehensive facility survey, AAHD staff will also address cultural and linguistic barriers by providing materials for clients and healthcare providers which are culturally and linguistically appropriate and focus on breast self exam techniques, cancer risk factors, and prevention. For further information, please email Janet Kreitman or Roberta Carlin or call (301) 545-6140.

2007 Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Grant
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation granted The American Association on Health and Disability a grant in 2007 entitled, “Increasing Breast Cancer Screening for Women with Disabilities in Montgomery County, MD by Improving Access, Education and Training at Mammography Sites.” The purpose of the grant was to: 1) increase breast cancer screening among women with disabilities by distributing a survey tool to assess the accessibility (environmental, architectural, communication, attitudinal) barriers in mammography facilities located in Montgomery County, MD; 2) increase disability awareness, sensitivity and knowledge of health care providers at mammogram facilities in Montgomery County, MD that will promote breast cancer screenings for women with disabilities; and 3) develop a Montgomery County Task Force on Increasing Access to Breast Cancer Screening for Women with Disabilities.

AAHD Scholarship Fund
AAHD is launching the AAHD Scholarship Fund in 2009 to support students with disabilities that are pursuing undergraduate or graduate work in the field of public health, disability research, and disability policy or health promotion. The AAHD Scholarship Fund will be initially funded by royalties from the Disability and Health Journal. Scholarships will be limited to under $1,000 per awardee. More details will be available in May, 2009 and information regarding the application process, criteria for selection and other important information will be available on the AAHD website.

AUCD Collaborates with AAHD
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) under its Cooperative Agreement with the CDC, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, has contracted with AAHD to enhance and update the AAHD Health Promotion Resource Center (HPRC), so the HPRC will be a valuable asset to state grantees to meet their deliverables and improve the health status of people with disabilities in their states. AAHD will facilitate development of materials based on the requests of AUCD and state grantees as well as author literature searches, research abstracts, best practices, and other resource materials. The HPRC is presently funded by AAHD with additional support from AUCD ( www.aucd.org).

OHSU Partners with AAHD
The American Association on Health and Disability is collaborating with the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to provide dissemination support to OHSU on their RRTC for Health and Wellness. The RRTC on Health and Wellness has been a leader in health research for people with disabilities for over 10 years. Their work is guided by a panel of national renowned experts. The OHSU RRTC promotes the health and wellness of people with disabilities through research, training, technical assistance and dissemination. AAHD will be collaborating with OHSU to ensure that the findings and products resulting from the RRTC are available to health care providers, disability researchers, advocates, academia, state health departments, federal agencies and consumers. You can learn more about the work of the OHSU RRTC at www.ohsu.edu/oidd/rrtc.

I Can Do It You Can Do It National Mentoring Program
The American Association on Health and Disability and the Center for Development and Disability at the University of New Mexico are conducting a research study on the effectiveness of a health promotion intervention for youth with disabilities called I Can Do It You Can Do It, a six-week mentoring program developed by the Office on Disability in the Department of Health and Human Services. Mentors, with or without disabilities meet weekly with adolescents with a disability to help them learn the value of physical activity and nutrition. Participants in the treatment group will participate in the program while those in the control group will not. Both groups will complete three surveys – before the program starts, immediately after it ends, and a three-month follow-up. Participants will receive incentives for completing each survey.

I Can Do It You Can Do It Parental Involvement Tips
Parental involvement in the I Can Do It, You Can Do It program is important. Click to learn more about general Tips for Parental Involvement: (1)Sources on Parental Involvement in Their Children’s Nutrition Activities and (2) Sources on Parental Involvement in Their Children’s Physical Activities.

CDC/NCBDDD/Disability and Health Team Cooperative Agreement
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Disability and Health Team is part of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) located in Atlanta, Georgia. Its focus is on promoting the health of people who are living with disabilities by: 1) using national and state health survey data to describe the United States population of people with disabilities and describing ongoing health issues and associated risk factors; 2) administering grants to organizations that provide resources for a healthy lifestyle to all people with disabilities; and 3) supporting state health departments, universities, and national organizations in developing state disability and health programs, implementing interventions that promote the health of people with disabilities throughout their lives, delivering health communication messages, and assessing health risks and the health status of people with disabilities.

Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities report is based on the main idea that good health is necessary for people with disabilities in order to work, learn, and interact with their families and communities. It identifies disparities in health and wellness services affecting people with disabilities and suggests ways to close the gaps. The report consists of four key sections which: 1) introduce the concept of disability; 2) describe the nature of disability and the range of disabilities affecting people throughout their lives; 3) discuss how achieving the goals in the report can help promote health and wellness for people with disabilities; and 4) outline strategies to improve interaction, communication, and cooperation of an integrated health care system and services programs with people with disabilities.

Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities
The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) has actively participated in the emergency preparedness and disaster response field for people with disabilities by: 1) co-chairing the National Consortium on Emergency Response and Disaster Preparedness with partners from the University of New Mexico and University of Kansas; 2) being a member of the Interagency Coordinating Council Public Sector Subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Security, the American Nurse’s Association Expert Panel on Disaster Preparedness, the Consortium on Citizens with Disabilities on Emergency Management, and the Montgomery County Special Needs Task Force; and 3) frequently presenting at national and state meetings on Disaster Planning for People with Disabilities. In addition, AAHD and its partners have developed several publications on the emergency preparedness and disaster response field for people with disabilities.

Journal on Disability & Health
The American Association on Health and Disability is sponsoring The Disability and Health Journal, the first peer reviewed journal in the field of disability and health, which is a scholarly, scientific and multidisciplinary journal for reporting original contributions that advance knowledge in disability and health. To be published quarterly, the Journal will include: 1) reports of empirical research on the characteristics of persons with disabilities, environments, health outcomes and determinants of health; 2) systematic review and theoretical interpretations of research literature; 3) research on new interventions, technologies and programs; and 4) promising practices.

Health Promotion Curriculum
State grantees and others have developed a variety of formal health promotion interventions for people with disabilities, including “Healthy Lifestyles”, “I Can Do It You Can Do It”, “Living Well with a Disability”, “MENU-AIDDS”, “Steps to Your Health”, “Take Charge Challenge”, Women Be Healthy”, and “Work Healthy, Live Healthy”.

AAHD Sponsored Webinars
AAHD sponsors Webinars on various topics of interest to professionals in the area of disability and health. Please check back to see AAHD’s list of Webinar topics and to learn of upcoming AAHD sponsored Webinars.

AAHD Threaded Discussions
AAHD sponsors Threaded Discussions on various topics of interest to professionals in the area of disability and health. Please check back to see AAHD’s list of Threaded Discussion and to learn of upcoming AAHD sponsored Threaded Discussions.

Best Practice Guide for Preventing Secondary Conditions for People with Physical Disabilities
This guide, funded by a Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation Quality of Life Grant, is intended to assist people with disabilities by educating them about their own health and how to make the best use of their medical care so that they can prevent secondary conditions or complications and maintain a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. The American Association on Health and Disability has reviewed information from the Internet and the medical literature and gathered useful sources in this guide, which should be helpful for consumers, families, and caretakers, as well as health care professionals, such as doctors, dentists, nurses and therapists. Topics covered include: Autonomic Dysreflexia, Bladder Care, Bowel Care, Cardiovascular Health, Exercise, Fatigue Management, Mental Health, Musculoskeletal Conditions, Nutrition and Weight Management, Oral Health Care, Pain Management, Pressure Sore Prevention, and Respiratory Health.

Research Abstracts on Health Promotion and Wellness for People with Disabilities
AAHD staff conduct literature searches on the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed database on various topics concerning health and disability. Topics presently include: Access to Health Care, Aging, BRFSS, Community Partnerships, Depression, Disability Policy, Emergency Preparedness, Exercise, Health Promotion, Health Promotion Curricula, Minorities, Native Americans, Needs Assessment, Program Evaluation, Rural Health Care, Sexuality, Substance Abuse, Veterans, and Violence/Sexual Abuse.

Best Practices on Health Promotion and Wellness for People with Disabilities
AAHD staff use the Internet to collect information on publications, organizations, and programs on various topics concerning health and disability. The Best Practices section of the website serves to share information about currently or recently operating programs related to the prevention of secondary conditions among people with disabilities, with the goal of exchanging ideas, models, and concepts. Inclusion on the website does not imply that staff or the Board of Directors of AAHD have evaluated or recommend specific programs. Topics presently include: Bowel and/or Bladder Dysfunction, BRFSS State-Added Disability Questions, Emergency Preparedness, Health Promotion Curricula, Minorities, Native Americans, Oral Health, Rural Health Care, Sexuality, Substance Abuse, Training of Health Care Professionals, Veterans, Visual Impairment, Violence and Disability Resources, and Youth Mentoring.