Women with cognitive limitations living in the community: evidence of disability-based disparities in health care.

Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2000 and 2002, we compared potential and realized use of health care for a national sample of working-age women with cognitive disabilities. Despite having similar likelihoods of potential access to health care as compared to nondisabled women, they had markedly worse rates of receiving cervical cancer and breast cancer screenings, similar rates of routine check-ups, and yet had better rates of receipt of influenza shots. They were also less likely to be satisfied with their medical care than were nondisabled women. Policy recommendations are suggested to address the disability-based disparities in reproductive health care for women with cognitive limitations.