Research @ AAHD

The American Association on Health & Disability (AAHD) is a national leader in research, knowledge translation and strategic dissemination in the field of disability and health. AAHD’s goal is to reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population, and to support full community inclusion and accessibility.  AAHD conducts research, translates findings, and disseminates materials that share data to support disability community health. We have a long history of conducting customized accessible dissemination for other organizations and producing research reports and multimedia communications products. AAHD is in the process of updating its research priorities for 2025 and those will be coming soon!

Knowledge Translation for Disability Health

AAHD prioritizes knowledge translation in our research efforts to ensure that dissemination materials reach and result in action by different audiences (end users) such as persons with disabilities and disability advocacy organizations, health and public health organizations, health providers, researchers, policy makers and others.  AAHD can develop a customized dissemination plan for materials and products produced by your organization, including an audience analysis and customized knowledge translation (KT) product templates, and will draft, edit, and disseminate a wide variety of accessible KT materials tailored to your end user preferences and vocabulary.

AAHD’s Potential Research Support

AAHD is excited to offer our expertise in disability research methodologies and knowledge translation to assist researchers, programs and organizations in developing or conducting studies and KT dissemination materials. We specialize in disability-centric design and products that are inclusive and accessible for use.

AAHD research and knowledge translation support services include:

Researchers with expertise in: disability, disability justice, disability & identity, health disparities
Co-Advise and/or Mentor Students/Junior Faculty with Disabilities  
Input on Inclusive Research Study Design   (Including: Community Based Participatory Research, Participatory Action Research, Case Studies )
Co-authoring of Academic / Scientific Publications related to Disability  
Program Evaluation Planning or Execution 
Disability Data Consultation 
Qualitative Data Analysis  
Qualitative Methodologist for Mixed Method Grants 
Disability Expert for Grants 
Knowledge Translation Consultation
Multimedia Asset Development 
Accessible & Multimedia Communications Consultation 
Brainstorming Partner on Finding Stories Existing Disability Data Could Tell  
Distribution of Disability-related Research Materials and Projects through Social Media Platforms including Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram & X (formerly known as Twitter)

Recent & Current Projects:

Health Insurance Literacy Academy (National Institute of Disability, Independent Living & Rehabilitation Research Funded Grant #90IFDV0010 from 2019-2022)
Blood Clot Knowledge Translation Research Project (VTE) (Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation Funded Grant from 2020-2023)
COVID-19 – Disability & Health Access Surveys
COVID-19 – Vaccine Hesitancy Survey Project
Disability Community Engagement Partner Project for the National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program (National Institutes of Health Funded Grant #OT2OD031916 from 2020-current)

Disability Research Resources

The Disability Research Resources listed below highlight current resources that include both external links and AAHD staff created content.

If you are interested in AAHD assisting you with research development, knowledge translation, or dissemination, please send an email to Anjali Forber-Pratt, Ph.D., Director of Research, or Jacob Ditsch, OTD, Associate Director of Research & Knowledge Translation.