Workshop (Health Services, Economics and Policy Change) ID 2012040

Abstract

According to the WHO nearly one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability and one fifth of those have significant difficulty functioning as a result. Climate change is a reality and the impacts on healthcare and the care of our communities is significant. From food and water supply, housing emergency preparedness and safety to the effects on our health, climate change has a disproportionate impact on persons with disabilities. The purpose of this workshop is to provide attendees with a review of the issues that climate change has created for persons with disabilities with a focus on traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injury. We will then move to a group discussion on what we can do individually and as health systems to address these challenges and make sure the rights and safety of persons with disabilities are protected as we navigate our world with Climate Change. We will use powerpoint slides, polls and group discussion to explore this topic. This workshop will further educate SCI experts nationally/internationally and collect their thoughts and ideas on climate impact on persons with disabilities. Our hope is that this information will help inform a more formal position statement from the CSCIRA.