people with disabilities and COVID-19

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic crisis presents a considerable challenge to the population of people living with disabilities. The main purpose of this paper was to identify the emerging research areas in disability studies related to COVID-19 in order to set out the immediate priorities and longer-term strategies for science research and evidence-based practises. Prioritized topics in public health and general health-related topics were discussed, including cognitive sequelae and various neurological manifestations in COVID-19 survivors with disabilities, new surveillance or data collection systems, strategies of improving the health protection measures for people living with disabilities, and the question of equity in access to medical care. Service disruptions have highlighted the importance of implementation of the biopsychosocial model and evidence-based service decisions and that future research should be directed towards the problems of adaptation and management of outpatient and inpatient clinical work, pandemic-specific information needs and standardization of the best-practice rehabilitation protocols. Geographic information system methods or a spatial analysis was recommended. Particular attention was called to the research and innovative approaches to telehealth or telemedicine in therapeutic, rehabilitation, assessment and follow-up purposes, as well as the raising ethical issues related to using disability as a factor in denying life-saving treatment. High-quality research standards, multidisciplinary and intersectoral approach with a global perspective and international research results comparisons were suggested. The upcoming findings of disability studies would certainly improve the society's ability to adjust and prepare for a re-emergence of COVID-19.