A guide to healthcare maintenance for the patient with inflammatory bowel disease.

Disability remains one of the most significant yet persistently marginalised dimensions of global inequality. The World Health Organisation and the World Bank estimate that approximately 15 per cent of the global population, representing more than one billion individuals, live with some form of disability (–). Prevalence rates vary across contexts. Low-income countries report higher rates than high-income nations, reflecting disparities in health systems, environmental risk exposure, and socioeconomic conditions (, , ). Women, older adults, and children experience disproportionate vulnerability due to intersecting social and developmental risks (, , ). Disability extends beyond prevalence figures and intersects deeply with structural inequality. Poverty both contributes to and results from disability, reinforcing cycles of exclusion and restricted opportunity (, ). Individuals with disabilities frequently encounter discrimination, stigma, and systemic marginalisation that limit access to healthcare, education, employment, and civic participation (–). Structural barriers within transport systems, housing design, and workplace environments further constrain mobility and independence (, , ). These conditions demonstrate that disability is not solely an individual impairment, but a socially constructed experience shaped by institutional, environmental, and attitudinal barriers (, ). The conceptual understanding of disability has evolved significantly. The medical model framed disability primarily as a deficit to be corrected or treated (, ). This perspective prioritised biomedical intervention and professional authority while often neglecting lived experience. The social model reoriented the discourse by identifying societal barriers as the principal source of disability-related disadvantage (–). Building on this foundation, the rights-based approach emphasised dignity, autonomy, equality, and full participation (, ). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities formalised this normative shift and required states to address systemic exclusion through legal and policy reform (, ).