The para sport community is recognized as a medically underserved population and has largely been excluded from evidence-based interventions, medical research and clinical education of students. It is vital that we, as clinicians, educators, and researchers, recognize the barriers that members…
The para sport community is recognized as a medically underserved population and has largely been excluded from evidence-based interventions, medical research and clinical education of students. It is vital that we, as clinicians, educators, and researchers, recognize the barriers that members of this community face in seeking and receiving healthcare. Barriers to healthcare have been described as 1) lack of knowledge in para sport, 2) competent and confident clinician accessibility, and 3) funding. We need to support the inclusion of para sport athletes in current and future research, as well as the adaptation of clinical care and management. Education should include diverse communities, such as para sport athletes, to enable culturally competent clinicians and researchers. This course will present facilitators and barriers that para sport athletes face while accessing healthcare, and strategies for how clinicians, researchers, and educators can adapt current practices to bridge the gap.
