Within the broad categories of physical and mental health and health behaviors, adults with disability experiene greater health disparities than adults without disabilities, including:

• higher rates of obesity and body mass index
• higher rates of inactivity
• higher prevalence of cigarette smoking
• higher prevalence of HIV/AIDS
• greater inability to visit health care providers due to cost
• higher risks of exposure to violence, unintentional injury, and premature death
• increased likelihood of developing secondary and co-morbid conditions

Health inequity and disparities are not caused by an individual's disability condition, but rather by a lack of access to healthy opportunities. This lack of access can occur on multiple societal levels, including:

• physical:  natural and architectural environments
• programmatic:  resource allotment, investment, and availability; policies, procedures, and protocols; lack of training and professional competence; etc.
• attitudinal:  personal beliefs, opinions, knowledge, and prejudices of individuals with disability, their families and friends, program and event staff, planners, and participants, and community leaders, workers, and peers

For more in depth information on disparity and disability, click the below infographic to see the full-sized version: