AOTA urges NIH to support disability research amidst funding threats

On March 12, AOTA submitted comments to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in response to a request for information on its Strategic Plan for Disability Health Research. In its comments, AOTA noted that disability research including occupational therapy research is foundational to advancing medical knowledge, improving patient outcomes, and ensuring that millions of Americans with disabilities live healthy and independent lives.

AOTA emphasized that OT research in this area is essential as it focuses on people who are living with spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke, intellectual and developmental disabilities, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, and chronic conditions affecting body systems, mobility, cognition, and overall function and well-being. AOTA also emphasized that given an aging population and the increase in rates of chronic illness, robust NIH support of disability research is critical to achieving the goals of the new Administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative.

NIH has steadily increased funding for rehabilitation/disability research after Congress mandated that Institutes address this issue in 2016, and AOTA has worked with the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) to emphasize the importance of such research. The DRRC also submitted comments to NIH on the Disability Research plan. AOTA will continue to work with DRRC and others to emphasize the importance of disability and rehabilitation research at NIH and other federal agencies.