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Knowledge of, beliefs about and attitudes to disability: implications for health professionals

MASASA, T
IRWIN-CARRUTHERS, S
FAURE, M
2014

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Background: South Africa is a multicultural, multiracial and multilingual nation with many different values, traditions and cultural practices. Different belief systems may give rise to different attitudes and practices relating to disability, which may impact on rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs relating to disability in three broad cultural groups in the Western Cape.

 

Method: Sixty primary caregivers were interviewed by using a knowledge, attitude and belief (KAB) survey in a structured interview format. Probability and non-probability (systematic and purposive) sampling were used. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods.

 

Results: While caregivers from coloured and white communities generally had become acquainted with disability from an early age, caregivers in black communities often only learnt about disability following the birth of a disabled child. All caregivers had only a rather rudimentary knowledge of the causes of disability, but held positive attitudes towards people with disabilities and their integration into society. The qualitative data showed some differences in beliefs between the three groups in relation to the causes of disability and the need for rehabilitation. The data also revealed negative experiences across the groups in relation to education and the availability of transport, particularly amongst caregivers from black and coloured communities.

 

Conclusions: Health professionals need to understand the culture, values, beliefs and expectations of their clients when providing rehabilitation services within a community-based model. There appears to be a need for improved disability awareness in schools and amongst transport service providers.

Features of integrated professional training for physically disabled people in a community-based rehabilitation programme in the rural and urban areas of Congo

LUTALA, MP
MASIKA, VP
KASEREKA, MC
KASAGILA, EK
2014

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Background: The rehabilitation of physically disabled people has been explored from the perspectives of patients, health professionals, rehabilitation agencies, etc. However, no study has linked disability types, training programmes and career prospects. In this study, we therefore evaluated the professional integration of trained disabled people.

 

Methods: This retrospective survey included all physically disabled people admitted to two rehabilitation centres in Congo between 1996 and 2005. Data collection used registers from two units, the medical unit and the rehabilitation unit, to obtain information on age, sex, disability type, follow-up training, present living activity and field of training. We defined ‘professional integration’ as being when the current profession matched the training received at the rehabilitation centre.

 

Results: The percentage of participants with integrated training was 96.8% (95% CI; 92.1–98.7%). In the urban setting, 6.7% (95% CI; 2.6–16.1%) of the trainees were not integrated, while all were integrated in the rural setting. Trainees aged between 16 and 25 years and those 51+ years represented 12.5% (95% CI; 4.9–28%) and 50% (95% CI; 25.3–74.6%) of the non-integrated cases respectively. Paralysis from poliomyelitis was the most common [62.9% (95% CI; 54.3–70.8%)] disability, and the non-integrated participants included people with poliomyelitis [1.2% (95% CI; 0.2–6.7%)], general paralysis [10.5% (95% CI; 2.9–31.3%)] and sight disorders [50% (95% CI; 9.4–90.5%)]. Tailoring was the main field of training [57.4% (95% CI; 48.7–65.7%)], and high numbers of participants with non-integrated training worked in tailoring, shoe making, welding and computer repair.

 

Conclusions: Despite a high rate of integration in Congo, professional training and subsequent integration would still benefit from a comprehensive approach that considers the type of disability, training and socio-demographic features. Further studies targeting alumni from the training programmes and their ongoing assessment are warranted.

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