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Oyewole O.O.1, Odusan O.2, Thanni L.O.A.3, Bodunde O.T.4, Osalusi B.S.2, Adebanjo A.A.3
1Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Physiotherapy, Sagamu, Nigeria, 2Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Medicine, Sagamu, Nigeria, 3Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Orthopaedics & Traumatology, Sagamu, Nigeria, 4Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ophthalmology, Sagamu, Nigeria
Background: Knowledge of how disability is accepted by people with disability and their attitude towards disability will go a long way in their rehabilitation for effective outcome. Acceptance of disability status and positive attitude towards disability may be modulating factors in improving quality of life of individuals with disability.
Purpose: The study assessed self-acceptance and attitude towards disability among people with disabilities and also determined their variability with disability types or severity.
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved people with disabilities who were recruited from out-patient clinics of a Nigerian tertiary hospital in the Ophthalmology, orthopaedics, neurology and endocrinology clinics. Included were patients with glaucoma, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes and stroke survivors. Disability and self-acceptance and attitude towards disability were assessed with World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) and Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Form A (ATDP-A) scale respectively.
Results: A total of 289 participants (vision=68, stroke survivors=66, musculoskeletal=73, diabetes=82) participated in the study with mean age of 56.6 ± 16.3 years. The mean score on ATDP- A scale was 93.0 ± 21.3 (range, 34 - 170) with more participants (54%) having a score >90 which indicates a positive attitude and acceptance of their disabilities. The participants largely held positive attitude towards disability and this remained unchanged when stratified by disability types except for those with motor (stroke) disability. There is significant association between the attitude held towards disability and the disability types
(P = 0.021). Those with musculoskeletal and visual disabilities held more positive attitude towards disability than those with motor and diabetes disabilities. Irrespective of disability severity, all participants held positive attitude towards disability. Item-by-item analysis of responses to 30 items on ATDP-A Scale showed that negative attitudes were preponderant on items relating to their emotional and competitiveness.
Conclusion(s): People with disabilities largely held positive attitude, accept their disability status irrespective of disability severity and negative attitudes were preponderant on items relating to their emotion and competitiveness.
Implications: Although people with disabilities largely held positive attitude, negative attitudes preponderant on items relating to their emotional and competitiveness are significant determinant of outcome during rehabilitation. Their acceptance of disability is an added advantage for their participation in the rehabilitation programmes. Therefore, effort should also be directed at improving their emotional wellbeing towards improved outcome of rehabilitation.
Funding acknowledgements: Thanks to Dr Gbiri CAO and Dr Ogunlana MO for reviewing this abstract. The study was unfunded.
Topic: Disability & rehabilitation
Ethics approval: Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Ethics Committee
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
