The study found:

• People with disability were more likely than people with no disability to have medical complications when hospitalized for COVID-19.
• When hospitalized for COVID-19, people with disability were more likely than people with no disability to die in the hospital.
• People with disability were more likely than people without disability to have longer hospital stays and be readmitted to hospitals because of COVID-19.
• People with disability were significantly more likely to be institutionalized after discharge from the hospital.
• People with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) had the highest risk for bad outcomes, including an increased risk of being placed on a ventilator, in-hospital death, going back to the hospital, and a longer length of hospital stay than people without disability.

The study concludes:

• Severity of COVID-19 hospitalization outcomes vary by disability status and type.
• People with IDD and mobility disability were associated with higher risks of negative outcomes.
• Differences in how people with different disability are treated and where they go after being discharged require further study. To do this, standardized data on disability is needed.
• Increased readmission across people with different disability types indicates a need to improve discharge planning and support services.

It is clear that, when hospitalized, people with certain disability types are more likely than people without disability to experience more severe cases of COVID-19 and become institutionalized after discharge from the hospital.

The implications, however, of these findings on disabled communities of color are unclear. Given the demographics provided in the study, The Partnership suggests further analysis to determine potential disparities by race and ethnicity.