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Disability considerations for COVID-19 vaccination: WHO and UNICEF policy brief, 19 April 2021

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
Eds
April 2021

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Persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, both directly because of infection, and indirectly because of restrictions to reduce the spread of the virus. Persons with disabilities are a diverse group, and the risks, barriers and impacts faced by them will vary in different contexts according to, among other factors, their age, gender identity, type of disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and migration status.

This document presents considerations and actions for the following stakeholders to ensure equity in access to vaccination against COVID‑19 for persons with disabilities:

− Persons with disabilities and their support networks

− Governments

− Health service providers delivering vaccinations

− Organizations of persons with disabilities

− Disability service providers

− Residential institutions and long-term care facilities

− Community

Disability considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
March 2020

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This overview gives actions for the disabled persons and their household, for governments, for healthcare workers , for disability service providers and for the community to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Autism spectrum disorders

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
April 2017

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This fact sheet provides key facts and an overview about autism spectrum disorders. Associated epidemiology, causes, assessment and management, social and economic impacts are briefly covered. The human rights of people with ASD are discussed and the WHO Resolution on autism spectrum disorders (WHA67.8) is introduced.

Priority assistive products list

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
May 2016

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The Priority Assistive Products List (APL) aspires to follow in the footsteps of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, which creates awareness among the public, mobilises resources and stimulates competition. The Priority Assistive Products List is similarly intended to be a catalyst in promoting access to assistive technology. It is not a restrictive list but aims to provide each Member State with a model from which to develop a National priority assistive products list. 

The List includes hearing aids, wheelchairs, communication aids, spectacles, artificial limbs, pill organizers, memory aids and other essential items for many older people and people with disabilities to be able to live a healthy, productive and dignified life.

The APL is part of the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE)

WHO global strategy and action plan on ageing and health

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
2015

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The purpose of the Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health 2016-2020 is “to define the goals, strategies, and activities that WHO (its Member States and secretariat) will pursue on ageing and health, and to clearly lay these out as a global framework for public health action relevant to low-, middle-, and high-income settings ”

Disability action plan

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
April 2014

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The Action Plan is based on the recommendations of the WHO and World Bank World report on disability and in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was developed in consultation with Member States, United Nations organizations and national and international partners including organizations of people with disabilities.

The Action Plan has three objectives : to remove barriers and improve access to health services and programmes; to strengthen and extend rehabilitation, habilitation, assistive technology, assistance and support services, and community-based rehabilitation; to strengthen collection of relevant and internationally comparable data on disability and support research on disability and related services

Violence against women : the health sector responds

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2013

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"One in three women aged 15-49 years will experience physical and/or sexual violence by an in-timate partner at some point in their lives. A new infographic highlights these numbers alongside facts on the severe health and social consequences of intimate partner and sexual violence. It also outlines what the health sector can do in preventing and responding to violence against women"
WHO/NMH/VIP/PVL/13.1

Improved and standardized method for assessing years lived with disability after injury

HAAGSMA, JA
et al
2012

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"This article presents the results of study that aimed to develop a standardized method for calculating years lived with disability (YLD) after injury. The method developed consists of obtaining data on injury cases seen in emergency departments as well as injury-related hospital admissions, using the EUROCOST system to link the injury cases to disability information and employing empirical data to describe functional outcomes in injured patients. The novel method for calculating YLD after injury can be applied in different settings, overcomes some limitations of the method used to calculate the global burden of disease, and allows more accurate estimates of the population burden of injury"
Bull World Health Organ, 90

World report on disability

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
WORLD BANK
2011

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This report "reviews evidence about the situation of people with disabilities around the world. Following chapters on understanding disability and measuring disability, the report contains topic-specific chapters on health; rehabilitation; assistance and support; enabling environments; education; and employment. Within each chapter, there is a discussion of the barriers confronted, and case studies showing how countries have succeeded in addressing these by promoting good practice. In its final chapter, the report offers nine concrete recommendations for policy and practice which if put in place could lead to real improvements in the lives of people with disability"

Joint position paper on the provision of mobility devices in less resourced settings : a step towards implementation of the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRPD) related to personal mobility

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)
2011

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"This joint position paper was developed in response to a meeting about personal mobility and mobility devices, held on 28-29 October 2009 at World Health Organization headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland. This paper aims to guide and support countries, especially those with limited resources, in the implementation of relevant articles of the CRPD associated with the provision of mobility devices"

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR guidelines

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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These guidelines provide an overview of key CBR concepts, indentify goals and outcomes that CBR programmes should be working towards, and provide suggested activities to achieve these goals. The guidelines are presented in seven separate booklets: Introductory booklet, Health component, Education component, Livelihood component, Social component, Empowerment component and Supplementary booklet. This resource is useful for people interested in inclusive community-based development for people with disabilities
Note: Links are provided to the CBR Matrix and MP3 audio files

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR guidelines|Health component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on health and how to make it inclusive. It describes "the role of CBR is to work closely with the health sector to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities and their family members are addressed in the areas of health promotion, prevention, medical care, rehabilitation and assistive devices. CBR also needs to work with individuals and their families to facilitate their access to health services and to work with other sectors to ensure that all aspects of health are addressed"
It outlines key concepts and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Health promotion; Prevention; Medical care; Rehabilitation; and Assistive devices. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in health component of CBR

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR guidelines|Livelihood component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on inclusive livelihoods. It describes "the role of CBR is to facilitate access for people with disabilities and their families to acquiring skills, livelihood opportunities, enhanced participation in community life and self-fulfilment." The guideline outlines key concepts, and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Skills development; Self-employment; Wage employment; Financial services; Social protection. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in livelihood component of CBR

Community-based rehabilitation : CBR Guidelines|Social component

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
et al
2010

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This component of the CBR Guidelines focuses on social component. It describes "the role of the CBR is to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in the social life of their families and communities. CBR programmes can provide support and assistance to people with disabilities to enable them to access social opportunities, and can challenge stigma and discrimination to bring about positive social change." The guideline outlines key concepts, and then presents the core concepts, examples and areas of suggested activities in each of the following five elements: Personal Assistance; Relationships, marriage and family; Culture and arts; Recreation, leisure and sport; Justice. This guideline is useful for anyone interested in social component of CBR

Preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women : taking action and generating evidence

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE
2010

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"This document aims to provide sufficient information for policy-makers and planners to develop data-driven and evidence-based programmes for preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women. Chapter 1 outlines the nature, magnitude and consequences of intimate partner and sexual violence within the broader typology of violence. Chapter 2 identifies the risk and protective factors for such violence and the importance of addressing both risk and protective factors in prevention efforts. Chapter 3 summarizes the scientific evidence base for primary prevention strategies, and describes programmes of known effectiveness, those supported by emerging evi-dence and those that could potentially be effective but have yet to be sufficiently evaluated for their impact. Chapter 4 presents a six-step framework for taking action, generating evidence and sharing results. In the closing section, several future research priorities are outlined and a number of key conclusions drawn"

Guidelines on the provision of manual wheelchairs in less resourced settings

ARMSTRONG, William
et al
2008

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These guidelines are designed to promote personal mobility and enhance the quality of life of wheelchair users. The aim is to assist Member States in developing a system of wheelchair provision that is consistent with the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Chapter topics includes: design and production, service delivery, training, and policy planning

WHO’s multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women : summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women's responses

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2005

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"Violence against women by an intimate partner is a major contributor to the ill-health of women. This study analyses data from 10 countries and sheds new light on the prevalence of violence against women in countries where few data were previously available. It also uncovers the forms and patterns of this violence across different countries and cultures, documenting the consequences of violence for women’s health. This information has important implications for prevention, care and mitigation... The high rates documented by the Study of sexual abuse experienced by girls and women are of great concern, especially in light of the HIV epidemic. Greater public awareness of this problem is needed and a strong public health response that focuses on preventing such violence from occurring in the first place...This study will help national authorities to design policies and programmes that begin to deal with the problem"

CBR : a strategy for rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction and social inclusion of people with disabilities - joint position paper 2004

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
et al
2004

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In 1994 the ILO, WHO and UNESCO published the first version of this joint position paper. Since then progress has been made in several fields. Nevertheless many disabled people are still not reached or included in the fields of rehabilitation, employment or education - particularly disabled women, people with mental health problems or HIV/AIDS and poor disabled people.
This paper underlines that community-based rehabilitation is a strategy promoting multi-sectoral collaboration to reach different community groups. CBR has to be based on the principles of equal opportunities, participation and human rights.

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