The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities: historical review, rationale, and implications 5 years after publication.

This article reviews much of the history of the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities and its implications 5 years after publication. This article also reviews historical trends related to disability legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Era and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the New Freedom Initiative. Most Americans will have a disability at some point in their lives. The etiologies of disabilities are many, including genetic, congenital, traumatic, or due to chronic illnesses or the aging process.