Paper short abstract:

Using 'disability' we critically rethink what (global) public health interventions should encompass to be equitable.

Paper long abstract:

We no longer perceive 'disability' as a distinct category but need to understand it as more encompassing, affecting anyone, including those with pre-existing chronic conditions and mental health problems. This is why current international understandings are moving away from a strictly medical definition to one more in tune with how people experience impairment in their day-to-day life. Global public health research has been slow to accommodate these shifts. The use of inappropriate definitions and measurement tools - with 'disability' represented in terms of cost, risk or burden - along with a more general struggle to accommodate diverse social and cultural experiences, make it difficult to provide evidence on the kinds of public health interventions (RCTs) likely to be successful. RCTs are considered the gold standard in public health research. Public health interventions can improve population health and reduce health inequalities. Yet, interventions which are effective in the general population are often assumed to apply to people with impairments. However, the evidence for this is limited. Consequently, we know little about how interventions can connect with a (global) public health. We consider how 'disability' can allow us to critically rethink interventions (RCTs) from a global public health perspective.