AAN issues position statement on advancing disability equity

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The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has issued a position statement to advance equity in neurology for people with disabilities. The statement is published July 2, 2025, online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The position statement says the AAN is working to improve access to equitable neurological care for disabled people and promote measures that help disabled neurologists and neuroscience professionals practice within a growing diverse neurology workforce. With this statement, the AAN affirms its commitment to advancing equitable treatment of people with disabilities.

“This new American Academy of Neurology position statement is a significant step toward ensuring that everyone receives unbiased care and has equitable access to neurological services,” said American Academy of Neurology President Natalia S Rost MD MPH FAAN FAHA. “We urge everyone to support the disability community and take actions that foster inclusion and brain health for all.”

People with disabilities experience health care disparities rooted in ableism and structural ableism. Ableism is discrimination and bias against disabled people, while structural ableism refers to discriminatory social structures and inaccessible environments.

The statement says addressing physician biases and clinic inaccessibility requires training and hiring disabled neurologists and a diverse healthcare workforce to improve patient satisfaction and trust.

“Neurological conditions are common causes of disability, and it is important to foster unbiased care, inclusion, and equitable access for disabled people,” said author Bhooma Rajagopalan Aravamuthan MD PhD FAAN, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. “The American Academy of Neurology supports the disability community and is committed to action across all aspects of neurological care and throughout the neurology profession.”

The statement emphasizes the need for equitable care and accessibility in medical facilities, such as the use of height-adjustable exam tables and accessible weight scales.

It states that neurological care must move beyond an acute rehabilitation model that views disability as a medical problem to be fixed. Instead, care should be provided in the context of a disabled person’s daily life and environment, recognizing that disabled people can experience unique hardships and also have a good quality of life.

Source: News Release
American Academy of Neurology
July 2, 2025