WorldWideScience

Sample records for mobility disabilities living

  1. Disability, residential environment and social participation: factors influencing daily mobility of persons living in residential care facilities in two regions of France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapegno, Noémie; Ravaud, Jean-François

    2017-09-29

    Despite the context of individualization of public policies and promotion of independent living, residential care facilities (RCFs) (called "établissements medico-sociaux" in France) still represent the main system used by disabled people. Through a study of their daily mobility, this article proposes a geographical approach to the examination of factors influencing the social participation of disabled persons with motor impairments who live in residential care facilities. The data were collected in three stages from several sources. We first carried out 24 semi-directive interviews among supervisory staff in all the institutions in two regions of France (Greater Paris and Upper Normandy) to better understand the nature of services offered by medico-social facilities. We next did field work in greater detail in 10 of these institutions. We selected residents by random sampling. These first stages then allowed us to study the mobility of residents and record their perceptions. We conducted participant observation and interviews with 81 disabled residents within the 10 RCF. Data analysis enabled consideration not only of the role of the residential environment in people's daily mobility, but the role of the institutions as well. We identified three typical profiles of mobility practices depending on the facilities: "the islanders", living in isolated facilities far from public transportation, or in so-called "difficult" neighborhoods; people who alternate individual and group mobility in a more or less large area; and "the navigators" who have high mobility over a very large area, often living in facilities located in urban areas. The study also enabled an analysis of the obstacles and facilitators inside and outside the residential facilities. These place restrictions on social participation by disabled adults. However, possibilities for individual negotiation may enable bypassing some obstacles. The three ideal-type profiles of mobility analyzed constitute

  2. A nationwide Danish survey on the use of green spaces by people with mobility disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stigsdotter, Ulrika K; Corazon, Sus Sola; Ekholm, Ola

    2017-12-01

    There is increasing awareness of the importance and health benefits of living near green spaces. Research usually focuses on the general population's use of green spaces and there has been little focus on the use of green spaces by specific groups, such as people with mobility disabilities. This represents a significant knowledge gap with regard to facilitating access to healthy green environments by all population groups. This study aims to provide knowledge of the use of green spaces by people with mobility disabilities. The study was based on data from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey in 2005. The study participants consisted of 11,238 adult Danes, 383 of whom reported mobility disabilities, meaning that they were dependent on assistive devices for walking or moving around. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between mobility disability and use of green spaces. The results show that respondents who reported mobility disabilities visited green spaces less often than respondents without mobility disabilities. The severity of the mobility disability was associated with the frequency of visits. Frequency of visits was also related to the respondents' health-related quality of life status. These results highlight the need for further research into the constraints faced by people with mobility disabilities with regard to visiting green spaces.

  3. Disability and Health: Healthy Living

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... About CDC.gov . Disability & Health Home Disability Overview Disability Inclusion Barriers to Inclusion Inclusion Strategies Inclusion in Programs & Activities Resources Healthy Living Disability & Physical Activity Disability & Obesity Disability & Smoking Disability & Breast ...

  4. Urban built environments and trajectories of mobility disability: findings from a national sample of community-dwelling American adults (1986-2001).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Philippa; Ailshire, Jennifer A; Lantz, Paula

    2009-09-01

    As people age, they become more dependent on their local communities, especially when they are no longer able to drive. Uneven or discontinuous sidewalks, heavy traffic, and inaccessible public transportation, are just some of the built environment characteristics that can create barriers for outdoor mobility in later adulthood. A small body of literature has been investigating the role of the built environment on disability, but has been limited to cross-sectional analyses. The purpose of this paper is to further advance this area of research by examining the role of the built environment on long-term trajectories of mobility disability in a national sample of American adults (age 45+) followed over a 15-year period. Using multilevel logistic growth curve models with nationally representative data from the Americans' Changing Lives Study (1986-2001), we find that trajectories of mobility disability are steeper in older age groups. Women and those with lower education had a higher odds of mobility disability over time. The presence of just one chronic health condition doubled the odds of mobility disability at each of the four study waves. Among older adults (age 75+), living in neighborhoods characterized by more motorized travel was associated with an odds ratio for mobility disability that was 1.5 times higher in any given year than for older adults living in environments that were more pedestrian friendly. These results suggest that the built environment can exacerbate mobility difficulties for older adults. When considering ways to minimize disability as the population ages, simple changes in the built environment may be easier to implement than efforts to change risk factors at the individual level.

  5. Prevalence of Disability and Disability Type Among Adults--United States, 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtney-Long, Elizabeth A; Carroll, Dianna D; Zhang, Qing C; Stevens, Alissa C; Griffin-Blake, Shannon; Armour, Brian S; Campbell, Vincent A

    2015-07-31

    Understanding the prevalence of disability is important for public health programs to be able to address the needs of persons with disabilities. Beginning in 2013, to measure disability prevalence by functional type, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), added five questions to identify disability in vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and independent living. CDC analyzed data from the 2013 BRFSS to assess overall prevalence of any disability, as well as specific types of disability among noninstitutionalized U.S. adults. Across all states, disabilities in mobility and cognition were the most frequently reported types. State-level prevalence of each disability type ranged from 2.7% to 8.1% (vision); 6.9% to 16.8% (cognition); 8.5% to 20.7% (mobility); 1.9% to 6.2% (self-care) and 4.2% to 10.8% (independent living). A higher prevalence of any disability was generally seen among adults living in states in the South and among women (24.4%) compared with men (19.8%). Prevalences of any disability and disability in mobility were higher among older age groups. These are the first data on functional disability types available in a state-based health survey. This information can help public health programs identify the prevalence of and demographic characteristics associated with different disability types among U.S. adults and better target appropriate interventions to reduce health disparities.

  6. Why we move: Social mobility behaviors of non-disabled and disabled children across childcare contexts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel W Logan

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Social mobility is defined as the co-occurrence of self-directed locomotion and direct peer interaction. Social mobility is a product of dynamic child-environment interactions and thus likely to vary across contexts (e.g., classroom, gymnasium and playground. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in children’s social mobility (1 across contexts by age, and (2 between non-disabled and disabled children. Method: Participants (n = 55 non-disabled and 3 disabled children; Mage = 3.1 years, SD = 1.4 were video-recorded within a university-based early learning center. Children were recorded for 20 minutes in each context: classroom, gymnasium, and playground. A 15-second momentary time sampling method was used to code social mobility, the simultaneous occurrence of self-directed locomotion and direct peer interaction. This variable was calculated as percent time within each context. Results: A planned Friedman’s rank ANOVA (n = 55, stratified by age, indicated that older children (3-5 years old differed across contexts in their social mobility (χ2 (2 ~ 7.3 – 10.5, p < 0.025, whereas younger children (1-2 years old were similar across contexts. Social mobility was significantly lower in the classroom compared to the playground and gymnasium (with no difference between the latter contexts for older children. Visual analysis confirmed that disabled children (n = 3 engaged in substantially less time in social mobility (average 0% - 1%, compared to non-disabled, age-similar peers (2-3 year olds average 1% -12% across all contexts. Conclusion: A substantial gap exists between non-disabled and disabled children for social mobility. There is an increase in magnitude and variability of social mobility around age 3 that suggests the gap between non-disabled and disabled children will continue to widen.

  7. Disability in instrumental activities of daily living among older adults: gender differences

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiago da Silva Alexandre

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To analyze gender differences in the incidence and determinants of disability regarding instrumental activities of daily living among older adults. METHODS The data were extracted from the Saúde, Bem-Estar e Envelhecimento (SABE – Health, Wellbeing and Ageing study. In 2000, 1,034 older adults without difficulty in regarding instrumental activities of daily living were selected. The following characteristics were evaluated at the baseline: sociodemographic and behavioral variables, health status, falls, fractures, hospitalizations, depressive symptoms, cognition, strength, mobility, balance and perception of vision and hearing. Instrumental activities of daily living such as shopping and managing own money and medication, using transportation and using the telephone were reassessed in 2006, with incident cases of disability considered as the outcome. RESULTS The incidence density of disability in instrumental activities of daily living was 44.7/1,000 person/years for women and 25.2/1,000 person/years for men. The incidence rate ratio between women and men was 1.77 (95%CI 1.75;1.80. After controlling for socioeconomic status and clinical conditions, the incidence rate ratio was 1.81 (95%CI 1.77;1.84, demonstrating that women with chronic disease and greater social vulnerability have a greater incidence density of disability in instrumental activities of daily living. The following were determinants of the incidence of disability: age ≥ 80 and worse perception of hearing in both genders; stroke in men; and being aged 70 to 79 in women. Better cognitive performance was a protective factor in both genders and better balance was a protective factor in women. CONCLUSIONS The higher incidence density of disability in older women remained even after controlling for adverse social and clinical conditions. In addition to age, poorer cognitive performance and conditions that adversely affect communication disable both genders. Acute events

  8. Midlife work ability and mobility limitation in old age among non-disability and disability retirees--a prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Bonsdorff, Monika E; Rantanen, Taina; Törmäkangas, Timo; Kulmala, Jenni; Hinrichs, Timo; Seitsamo, Jorma; Nygård, Clas-Håkan; Ilmarinen, Juhani; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B

    2016-02-16

    Little is known about the wellbeing and mobility limitation of older disability retirees. Personal and environmental factors, such as time spent in working life, may either exacerbate or mitigate the onset of mobility limitation in general population. We aimed to study perceived midlife work ability as a determinant of self-reported mobility limitation in old age among municipal employees who transitioned into non-disability and disability retirement. 4329 participants of the Finnish Longitudinal Study of Municipal Employees (FLAME) had retired during January 1985 and July 2000. They had data on retirement, perceived work ability in 1985, and self-reported mobility limitation (non-disability retirement n = 2870, men 39%; and diagnose-specific disability retirement n = 1459, men 48%). Self-reported mobility was measured in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2009. The latest score available was used to assess the number of mobility limitation. Work ability was measured by asking the respondents to evaluate their current work ability against their lifetime best in 1985. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for work ability predicting mobility limitation in non-disability and diagnose-specific disability retirement groups were calculated using Poisson regression models. The prevalence of mobility limitation for those who transitioned into non-disability retirement (Incidence Rate, IR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.44-0.46) was lower compared to those who retired due to disability (IR = 0.65, CI = 0.63-0.66). A one-point increase in the work ability score decreased the risk for having one more mobility limitation among non-disability and all diagnose-specific retirement groups (musculoskeletal disease, cardiovascular disease, mental disorder, and other diseases). Better midlife work ability may protect from old age mobility limitation among those who retire due to non-disability and disability. Promoting work ability in midlife may lead to more independent, active

  9. Concurrent and convergent validity of the mobility- and multidimensional-hierarchical disability categorization models with physical performance in community older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Ming-Hsia; Yeh, Chih-Jun; Chen, Tou-Rong; Wang, Ching-Yi

    2014-01-01

    A valid, time-efficient and easy-to-use instrument is important for busy clinical settings, large scale surveys, or community screening use. The purpose of this study was to validate the mobility hierarchical disability categorization model (an abbreviated model) by investigating its concurrent validity with the multidimensional hierarchical disability categorization model (a comprehensive model) and triangulating both models with physical performance measures in older adults. 604 community-dwelling older adults of at least 60 years in age volunteered to participate. Self-reported function on mobility, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and activities of daily living (ADL) domains were recorded and then the disability status determined based on both the multidimensional hierarchical categorization model and the mobility hierarchical categorization model. The physical performance measures, consisting of grip strength and usual and fastest gait speeds (UGS, FGS), were collected on the same day. Both categorization models showed high correlation (γs = 0.92, p categorization models. The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that both models individually explain similar amount of variance on all physical performances, with adjustments for age, sex, and number of comorbidities. Our results found that the mobility hierarchical disability categorization model is a valid and time efficient tool for large survey or screening use.

  10. Estimating the extra cost of living with disability in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minh, Hoang Van; Giang, Kim Bao; Liem, Nguyen Thanh; Palmer, Michael; Thao, Nguyen Phuong; Duong, Le Bach

    2015-01-01

    Disability is shown to be both a cause and a consequence of poverty. However, relatively little research has investigated the economic cost of living with a disability. This study reports the results of a study on the extra cost of living with disability in Vietnam in 2011. The study was carried out in eight cities/provinces in Vietnam, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities (two major metropolitan in Vietnam) and six provinces from each of the six socio-economic regions in Vietnam. Costs are estimated using the standard of living approach whereby the difference in incomes between people with disability and those without disability for a given standard of living serves as a proxy for the cost of living with disability. The extra cost of living with disability in Vietnam accounted for about 8.8-9.5% of annual household income, or valued about US$200-218. Communication difficulty was shown to result in highest additional cost of living with disability and self-care difficulty was shown to lead to the lowest levels of extra of living cost. The extra cost of living with disability increased as people had more severe impairment. Interventions to promote the economic security of livelihood for people with disabilities are needed.

  11. Midlife work ability and mobility limitation in old age among non-disability and disability retirees - a prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika E. von Bonsdorff

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the wellbeing and mobility limitation of older disability retirees. Personal and environmental factors, such as time spent in working life, may either exacerbate or mitigate the onset of mobility limitation in general population. We aimed to study perceived midlife work ability as a determinant of self-reported mobility limitation in old age among municipal employees who transitioned into non-disability and disability retirement. Methods 4329 participants of the Finnish Longitudinal Study of Municipal Employees (FLAME had retired during January 1985 and July 2000. They had data on retirement, perceived work ability in 1985, and self-reported mobility limitation (non-disability retirement n = 2870, men 39 %; and diagnose-specific disability retirement n = 1459, men 48 %. Self-reported mobility was measured in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2009. The latest score available was used to assess the number of mobility limitation. Work ability was measured by asking the respondents to evaluate their current work ability against their lifetime best in 1985. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs for work ability predicting mobility limitation in non-disability and diagnose-specific disability retirement groups were calculated using Poisson regression models. Results The prevalence of mobility limitation for those who transitioned into non-disability retirement (Incidence Rate, IR = 0.45, 95 % CI = 0.44–0.46 was lower compared to those who retired due to disability (IR = 0.65, CI = 0.63–0.66. A one-point increase in the work ability score decreased the risk for having one more mobility limitation among non-disability and all diagnose-specific retirement groups (musculoskeletal disease, cardiovascular disease, mental disorder, and other diseases. Conclusions Better midlife work ability may protect from old age mobility limitation among those who retire due to non-disability

  12. LiveCode mobile development

    CERN Document Server

    Lavieri, Edward D

    2013-01-01

    A practical guide written in a tutorial-style, ""LiveCode Mobile Development Hotshot"" walks you step-by-step through 10 individual projects. Every project is divided into sub tasks to make learning more organized and easy to follow along with explanations, diagrams, screenshots, and downloadable material.This book is great for anyone who wants to develop mobile applications using LiveCode. You should be familiar with LiveCode and have access to a smartphone. You are not expected to know how to create graphics or audio clips.

  13. Living with a disability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jespersen, Louise Norman; Michelsen, Susan Ishøy; Tjørnhøj-thomsen, Tine

    2018-01-01

    highlighted as affecting quality of life. The use of social tactics to avoid confrontation with certain aspects of their disability was common among participants. Conclusions: Across disabilities, caregiving, dependency, understanding and acceptance, and discrimination and prejudice were all important aspects......Purpose: We explored which shared aspects of social relations were considered important to the quality of life of persons between the ages of 10 and 40 years living with a disability. We examined how social relations were experienced as affecting quality of life and social participation. Materials...... and methods: Fifteen focus groups involving 48 persons with disabilities were conducted using photo elicitation, preference ranking and props. Focus group interviews were supplemented with seven individual interviews with individuals unable to participate in focus groups. All focus group interviews...

  14. Mobile Healthcare and People with Disabilities: Current State and Future Needs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Jones

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Significant health disparities exist between the general population and people with disabilities, particularly with respect to chronic health conditions. Mobile healthcare—the delivery of healthcare via mobile communication devices—is witnessing tremendous growth and has been touted as an important new approach for management of chronic health conditions. At present, little is known about the current state of mobile healthcare for people with disabilities. Early evidence suggests they are not well represented in the growth of mobile healthcare, and particularly the proliferation of mobile health software applications (mHealth apps for smartphones. Their omission in mHealth could lead to further health disparities. This article describes our research investigating the current state of mHealth apps targeting people with disabilities. Based on a multi-modal approach (literature review, Internet search, survey of disabled smartphone users, we confirm that people with disabilities are under-represented in the growth of mHealth. We identify several areas of future research and development needed to support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the mHealth revolution.

  15. Mobile Healthcare and People with Disabilities: Current State and Future Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Michael; Morris, John; Deruyter, Frank

    2018-03-14

    Significant health disparities exist between the general population and people with disabilities, particularly with respect to chronic health conditions. Mobile healthcare-the delivery of healthcare via mobile communication devices-is witnessing tremendous growth and has been touted as an important new approach for management of chronic health conditions. At present, little is known about the current state of mobile healthcare for people with disabilities. Early evidence suggests they are not well represented in the growth of mobile healthcare, and particularly the proliferation of mobile health software applications (mHealth apps) for smartphones. Their omission in mHealth could lead to further health disparities. This article describes our research investigating the current state of mHealth apps targeting people with disabilities. Based on a multi-modal approach (literature review, Internet search, survey of disabled smartphone users), we confirm that people with disabilities are under-represented in the growth of mHealth. We identify several areas of future research and development needed to support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the mHealth revolution.

  16. Obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and years lived with disability: a Sullivan life table approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kunst Anton E

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background To avoid strong declines in the quality of life due to population ageing, and to ensure sustainability of the health care system, reductions in the burden of disability among elderly populations are urgently needed. Life style interventions may help to reduce the years lived with one or more disabilities, but it is not fully understood which life style factor has the largest potential for such reductions. Therefore, the primary aim of this paper is to compare the effect of BMI, smoking and alcohol consumption on life expectancy with disability, using the Sullivan life table method. A secondary aim is to assess potential improvement of the Sullivan method by using information on the association of disability with time to death. Methods Data from the Dutch Permanent Survey of the Living Situation (POLS 1997-1999 with mortality follow-up until 2006 (n = 6,446 were used. Using estimated relative mortality risks by risk factor exposure, separate life tables were constructed for groups defined in terms of BMI, smoking status and alcohol consumption. Logistic regression models were fitted to predict the prevalence of ADL and mobility disabilities in relationship to age and risk factor exposure. Using the Sullivan method, predicted age-specific prevalence rates were included in the life table to calculate years lived with disability at age 55. In further analysis we assessed whether adding information on time to death in both the regression models and the life table estimates would lead to substantive changes in the results. Results Life expectancy at age 55 differed by 1.4 years among groups defined in terms of BMI, 4.0 years by smoking status, and 3.0 years by alcohol consumption. Years lived with disability differed by 2.8 years according to BMI, 0.2 years by smoking and 1.6 by alcohol consumption. Obese persons could expect to live more years with disability (5.9 years than smokers (3.8 years and drinkers (3.1 years. Employing

  17. Patterns of Quality Of Life among Older Urban Dwellers with Mobility Disability in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nik Nairan Abdullah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Mobility disability affects the quality of life for the older urban population. The objectives of this research paper were to determine the burden of mobility disability and explore influential factors affecting the quality of life of urban community aged 50 and above with mobility disability. Total of 481 participants who were randomly selected from two urban health centres have been interviewed using structured questionnaire in December 2014. The prevalence of mobility disability was 23.1%. All domains quality of life of older urbanites with mobility disability were significantly affected as compared with those without. These factors need to be emphasized in future planning for elderly.

  18. Living well with disability: needs, values and competing factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mudge, Suzie; Kayes, Nicola M; Stavric, Verna A; Channon, Alexis S; Kersten, Paula; McPherson, Kathryn M

    2013-08-21

    Obesity is more prevalent for disabled people (estimated as being between 27-62%) compared to the general population (17-22%). Disabled people are more likely to report poorer general health and acquire a range of obesity-related secondary conditions. Although there are many physical activity and nutrition initiatives aimed at obesity prevention, little is known about whether these options are relevant and accessible for disabled people. The Living Well Study aimed to better understand the issues faced by disabled people when engaging in physical activity and healthy eating. The study drew on a participatory action research design involving key stakeholders. There were two core cyclical phases (A and B), in which data collection was followed by a period of analysis, reflection and refinement. Focus groups and interviews were held with individuals who experience a range of disabilities, family members, service providers and representatives from disability advocacy groups. We sought to explore the importance and meaning of physical activity and healthy eating and factors that influenced engagement in these. Data in phase A were analysed using conventional content analysis drawing on constant comparative methods to identify themes of importance. In phase B, data analysis occurred alongside data collection, using a structured template to summarise participants' agreement or disagreement with the draft themes and recommendations, until the themes and recommendations were refined based on participants' corroboration. 146 participants aged between 10-69 years, from both rural and urban areas and of different cultural backgrounds participated. Seven interconnecting themes that related to engagement in living well behaviours emerged with a wide range of external factors (such as people, knowledge, time, cost, identity and the environment) impacting on living well options. The central theme - It depends: needs, values and competing factors - emphasised the complexity faced

  19. [Clinico-statistical study on availability of Esterman disability score for assessment of mobility difficulty in patients with visual field loss].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamagata, Yoshitaka; Terada, Yuko; Suzuki, Atsushi; Mimura, Osamu

    2010-01-01

    The visual efficiency scale currently adopted to determine the legal grade of visual disability associated with visual field loss in Japan is not appropriate for the evaluation of disability regarding daily living activities. We investigated whether Esterman disability score (EDS) is suitable for the assessment of mobility difficulty in patients with visual field loss. The correlation between the EDS calculated from Goldmann's kinetic visual field and the degree of subjective mobility difficulty determined by a questionnaire was investigated in 164 patients with visual field loss. The correlation between the EDS determined using a program built into the Humphrey field analyzer and that calculated from Goldmann's kinetic visual field was also investigated. The EDS based on the kinetic visual field was correlated well with the degree of subjective mobility difficulty, and the EDS measured using the Humphrey field analyzer could be estimated from the kinetic visual field-based EDS. Instead of the currently adopted visual efficiency scale, EDS should be employed for the assessment of mobility difficulty in patients with visual field loss, also to establish new judgment criteria concerning the visual field.

  20. Factors affecting employment among people with mobility disabilities in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Soo-Kyung; Yoon, Jae-Young; Henderson, Terrence

    2007-03-01

    Employment provides not only income but also opportunities for social participation. This is especially important for people with disabilities, but the employment of disabled people in many countries is subject to significant barriers. This study examines the actual state of employment of people with mobility disabilities in Korea and which characteristics affect employment among people with mobility disabilities. Analysis of responses to the Community Integration Questionnaire and independent variables among the study participants showed that the rate of employment among people with mobility disabilities (34.2%) is much lower than that of the general population (60.3%), with only 13.2% in full-time positions. Gender appeared to be a statistically significant factor influencing employment. Other demographic characteristics such as age, level of education and cohabitation did not influence employment in this study, but people with less severe disability had a higher probability of being employed. Disability acceptance appeared to be a vital factor in the process of vocational rehabilitation. The use of vocational rehabilitation services did not have a significant effect on employment. These results suggest that the role of the formal services system in the employment process of disabled people is insufficient.

  1. Factorial structure of the locomotor disability scale in a sample of adults with mobility impairments in Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmud, Ilias; Clarke, Lynda; Nahar, Nazmun; Ploubidis, George B

    2018-05-02

    Disability does not only depend on individuals' health conditions but also the contextual factors in which individuals live. Therefore, disability measurement scales need to be developed or adapted to the context. Bangladesh lacks any locally developed or validated scales to measure disabilities in adults with mobility impairment. We developed a new Locomotor Disability Scale (LDS) in a previous qualitative study. The present study developed a shorter version of the scale and explored its factorial structure. We administered the LDS to 316 adults with mobility impairments, selected from outpatient and community-based settings of a rehabilitation centre in Bangladesh. We did exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine a shorter version of the LDS and explore its factorial structure. We retained 19 items from the original LDS following evaluation of response rate, floor/ceiling effects, inter-item correlations, and factor loadings in EFA. The Eigenvalues greater than one rule and the Scree test suggested a two-factor model of measuring locomotor disability (LD) in adults with mobility impairment. These two factors are 'mobility activity limitations' and 'functional activity limitations'. We named the higher order factor as 'locomotor disability'. This two-factor model explained over 68% of the total variance among the LD indicators. The reproduced correlation matrix indicated a good model fit with 14% non-redundant residuals with absolute values > 0.05. However, the Chi-square test indicated poor model fit (p Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure (KMO) of sampling adequacy was .94 and the individual diagonal elements in the anti-correlation matrix were > .91. Among the retained 19 items, there was no correlation coefficient > .9 or a large number of correlation coefficients .3) cross loadings and the correlation between the two factors was .657. The 'mobility activity limitations' and 'functional activity limitations' sub-scales demonstrated excellent internal

  2. Walking and Sensing Mobile Lives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bødker, Mads; Meinhardt, Nina Dam

    In this position paper, we discuss how mindful walking with people allow us to explore sensory aspects of mobile lives that are typically absent from research. We present an app that aids researchers collect impressions from a walk.......In this position paper, we discuss how mindful walking with people allow us to explore sensory aspects of mobile lives that are typically absent from research. We present an app that aids researchers collect impressions from a walk....

  3. Modes of ordering disability: students living with visual disabilities in the Sultanate of Oman

    OpenAIRE

    Näslund, Rebecka; Qais Al Said, Shariffa Khalid

    2017-01-01

    This article examines how a group of students with visual disabilities speak about becoming disabled and living with disability in relation to: material entities, practices, and their own expectations regarding the future in the Sultanate of Oman. It draws upon individual interviews among six adults with visual disabilities. The article outlines, from a material semiotics approach, how various forms of modes of ordering enact disability. An interdisciplinary approach, informed by disability s...

  4. Pain perception and low back pain functional disability after a 10-week core and mobility training program: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lima, Vicente Pinheiro; de Alkmim Moreira Nunes, Rodolfo; da Silva, Jurandir Baptista; Paz, Gabriel Andrade; Jesus, Marco; de Castro, Juliana Brandão Pinto; Dantas, Estélio Henrique Martin; de Souza Vale, Rodrigo Gomes

    2018-03-02

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 10-week core and mobility training program on pain perception and low back disability score in professors, students and employees of a university. Twenty-four individuals of a university who previously reported pain and low back disability were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n= 8) that received 2 weekly sessions of 50 minutes of core and mobility training for 10 weeks; or to a control group (CG; n= 16). Both groups received a guideline to adopt ergonomic postures during work and activities of daily living. The visual analog pain scale (VAS) and the Roland-Morris questionnaire (RMQ) were applied pre and post intervention. Significant reductions in the pain intensity perception (p= 0.014) and low back functional disability (p= 0.011) were noted in the EG pre and post measures. However, no significant difference was observed in the CG. Thus, there was a significant difference between the EG and the CG in the post-intervention measures (p= 0.001). Core and mobility training and home-ergonomic instructions were effective to reduce the pain intensity perception and low back functional disability in the EG.

  5. The Economic Lives of People with Disabilities in Vietnam.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Palmer

    Full Text Available Through a series of focus group discussions conducted in northern and central Vietnam, this study gives voice to the lived economic experience of families with disabilities and how they manage the economic challenges associated with disability. The dynamic of low and unstable income combined with on-going health care and other disability-related costs gives rise to a range of coping mechanisms (borrowing, reducing and foregoing expenditures, drawing upon savings and substituting labour that helps to maintain living standards in the short-run yet threatens the longer-term welfare of both the individual with disability and their household. Current social protection programs were reported as not accessible to all and while addressing some immediate economic costs of disability, do not successfully meet current needs nor accommodate wider barriers to availing benefits.

  6. Inclusive Education: Mobile Serious Games for People with Cognitive Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angel Jaramillo-Alcázar

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, the use of mobile devices is increasingly frequent. In many occasions they are used as a means of entertainment for people through video games. Serious games is a category of video games used as teaching methods in different environments. They use fun as a strategy for the learning process. However, the vast majority do not focus on vulnerable groups such as people with cognitive disabilities, because they do not consider accessibility parameters in their design. Some video games development companies have proposed general guidelines for the implementation of accessible video games, but they have not been formalized as good practices or standards. This article presents a compilation and analysis of different accessibility guidelines for the development of mobile serious games for people with cognitive disabilities. It also proposes a model to evaluate the access of serious games for people with cognitive disabilities and applies it in a case study. Finally, an evaluation tool is proposed for mobile serious games developers focused on people with cognitive disabilities.

  7. The impact on social capital of mobility disability and weight status: the Stockholm Public Health Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norrbäck, Mattias; de Munter, Jeroen; Tynelius, Per; Ahlström, Gerd; Rasmussen, Finn

    2015-04-01

    People with mobility disability are more often overweight or obese and have lower social capital than people without mobility disability. It is unclear whether having a combination of mobility disability and overweight or obesity furthers negative development of social capital over time. To explore whether there were differences in social capital between normal-weight, overweight and obese people with or without mobility disability over a period of 8 years. We included 14,481 individuals (18-64 at baseline) from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort that started in 2002. Mobility disability, weight status, and social capital (structural: social activities, voting; cognitive: trust in authorities, and trust in people) were identified from self-reports. Risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated in multivariate longitudinal regression analyses. We found no significant differences in social activities and voting between the groups over time. However, when compared with the reference group, the groups with mobility disability had less trust in authorities and public institutions over time. Notably, obese people with mobility disability showed the largest decrease in trust in the police (RR = 2.29; 1.50-3.50), the parliament (RR = 2.00; 1.31-3.05), and local politicians (RR = 2.52; 1.61-3.94). People with mobility disability experience lower cognitive social capital over time than people without mobility disability. Being burdened by both mobility disability and obesity may be worse in terms of social capital than having just one of the conditions, especially regarding cognitive social capital. This finding is of public health importance, since social capital is related to health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Multimodal exercise training in multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial in persons with substantial mobility disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandroff, Brian M; Bollaert, Rachel E; Pilutti, Lara A; Peterson, Melissa L; Baynard, Tracy; Fernhall, Bo; McAuley, Edward; Motl, Robert W

    2017-10-01

    Mobility disability is a common, debilitating feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). Exercise training has been identified as an approach to improve MS-related mobility disability. However, exercise randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on mobility in MS have generally not selectively targeted those with the onset of irreversible mobility disability. The current multi-site RCT compared the efficacy of 6-months of supervised, multimodal exercise training with an active control condition for improving mobility, gait, physical fitness, and cognitive outcomes in persons with substantial MS-related mobility disability. 83 participants with substantial MS-related mobility disability underwent initial mobility, gait, fitness, and cognitive processing speed assessments and were randomly assigned to 6-months of supervised multimodal (progressive aerobic, resistance, and balance) exercise training (intervention condition) or stretching-and-toning activities (control condition). Participants completed the same outcome assessments halfway through and immediately following the 6-month study period. There were statistically significant improvements in six-minute walk performance (F(2158)=3.12, p=0.05, η p 2 =0.04), peak power output (F(2150)=8.16, pmobility disability. This is critical for informing the development of multi-site exercise rehabilitation programs in larger samples of persons with MS-related mobility disability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Accelerometer-Derived Pattern of Sedentary and Physical Activity Time in Persons with Mobility Disability: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003 to 2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manns, Patricia; Ezeugwu, Victor; Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Vallance, Jeff; Healy, Genevieve N

    2015-07-01

    To describe objectively determined sedentary and activity outcomes (volume and pattern) and their associations with cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in individuals with and without mobility disability. Cross-sectional. Population based. Community-dwelling older adults (≥60) living in the United States who were participants in the 2003 to 2004 or 2005 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants were classified as with or without mobility disability according to responses to self-reported questions about ability to walk, climb stairs, and/or use of ambulatory aids. Accelerometer-derived sedentary and activity variables for volume (time in sedentary (activity and pattern (number of breaks from sedentary time, duration of sedentary bouts, duration of activity bouts). Survey-weighted regression models, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, education, and smoking, were used to examine the associations between pattern of activity and cardiometabolic health risk factors (blood pressure, waist circumference, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Of the 2,017 participants, 547 were classified as having a mobility disability. Participants with mobility disability had more sedentary time and less active time than those without. Sedentary bouts were longer and active bouts shorter in those with disability. The total number of sedentary breaks (transitions from sedentary to nonsedentary) differed between groups after adjustment for total sedentary time. Fewer breaks, longer sedentary bouts, and shorter activity bouts were associated with higher average waist circumference regardless of disability status. This study provides rationale for the development and testing of interventions to change the pattern of activity (e.g., include more breaks and longer activity bout durations) in older adults with mobility disability. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

  10. Active Adult Lives for Persons with Learning Disabilities--The Perspectives of Professionals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witsø, Aud Elisabeth; Kittelsaa, Anna M.

    2018-01-01

    Background: Living active adult lives is both a value and a right, but the right to do so is associated with restrictions among adults with learning disabilities. This research aimed to capture professionals' understanding and perception of active adult living for people with learning disabilities living in clustered housing in a Norwegian…

  11. Gender differences in incidence and determinants of disability in activities of daily living among elderly individuals: SABE study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexandre, Tiago da Silva; Corona, Ligiana Pires; Nunes, Daniella Pires; Santos, Jair Lício Ferreira; Duarte, Yeda Aparecida de Oliveira; Lebrão, Maria Lúcia

    2012-01-01

    Determining the groups that are most susceptible to developing disability is essential to establishing effective prevention and rehabilitation strategies. The aim of the present study was to determine gender differences in the incidence of disability regarding activities of daily living (ADL) and determinants among elderly residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2000, 1634 elderly with no difficulties regarding ADL (modified Katz Index) were selected. These activities were reassessed in 2006 and disability was the outcome for the analysis of determinants. The following characteristics were analyzed at baseline: socio-demographic, behavioral, health status, medications, falls, hospitalizations, depressive symptoms, cognition, handgrip, mobility and balance. The incidence density was 42.4/1000 women/year and 17.5/1000 men/year. After adjusting for socioeconomic status and health conditions, women with chronic diseases and social vulnerability continued to have a greater incidence of disability. The following were determinants of the incidence of disability: age and depressive symptoms in both genders; stroke and slowness on the sit-and-stand test among men; and osteoarthritis and sedentary lifestyle among women. Better cognitive performance and handgrip strength were protective factors among men and women, respectively. Adverse clinical and social conditions determine differences between genders regarding the incidence of disability. Decreased mobility and balance and health conditions that affect the central nervous system or lead to impaired cognition disable men more, whereas a sedentary lifestyle, reduction in muscle strength and conditions that affect the osteoarticular system disable women more. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. A self-reported screening tool for detecting community-dwelling older persons with frailty syndrome in the absence of mobility disability: the FiND questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cesari, Matteo; Demougeot, Laurent; Boccalon, Henri; Guyonnet, Sophie; Abellan Van Kan, Gabor; Vellas, Bruno; Andrieu, Sandrine

    2014-01-01

    The "frailty syndrome" (a geriatric multidimensional condition characterized by decreased reserve and diminished resistance to stressors) represents a promising target of preventive interventions against disability in elders. Available screening tools for the identification of frailty in the absence of disability present major limitations. In particular, they have to be administered by a trained assessor, require special equipment, and/or do not discriminate between frail and disabled individuals. Aim of this study is to verify the agreement of a novel self-reported questionnaire (the "Frail Non-Disabled" [FiND] instrument) designed for detecting non-mobility disabled frail older persons with results from reference tools. Data are from 45 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥60 years. Participants were asked to complete the FiND questionnaire separately exploring the frailty and disability domains. Then, a blinded assessor objectively measured the frailty status (using the phenotype proposed by Fried and colleagues) and mobility disability (using the 400-meter walk test). Cohen's kappa coefficients were calculated to determine the agreement between the FiND questionnaire with the reference instruments. Mean age of participants (women 62.2%) was 72.5 (standard deviation 8.2) years. Seven (15.6%) participants presented mobility disability as being unable to complete the 400-meter walk test. According to the frailty phenotype criteria, 25 (55.6%) participants were pre-frail or frail, and 13 (28.9%) were robust. Overall, a substantial agreement of the instrument with the reference tools (kappa = 0.748, quadratic weighted kappa = 0.836, both p valuesFiND disability domain and the 400-meter walk test was excellent (kappa = 0.920, pFiND questionnaire presents a very good capacity to correctly identify frail older persons without mobility disability living in the community. This screening tool may represent an opportunity for diffusing awareness about frailty

  13. Sensory and Motor Peripheral Nerve Function and Incident Mobility Disability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ward, R. E.; Boudreau, R. M.; Caserotti, P.

    2014-01-01

    ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between sensorimotor nerve function and incident mobility disability over 10years. DesignProspective cohort study with longitudinal analysis. SettingTwo U.S. clinical sites. ParticipantsPopulation-based sample of community-dwelling older adults with no mobility...

  14. Mobility disability and the pattern of accelerometer-derived sedentary and physical activity behaviors in people with multiple sclerosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezeugwu, Victor; Klaren, Rachel E.; A. Hubbard, Elizabeth; Manns, Patricia (Trish); Motl, Robert W.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Low physical activity and high sedentary behavior levels are major concerns in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and these differ depending on the level of mobility disability. However, the manner in which daily activity is accumulated is currently unknown in this population. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on a combined data set of persons with MS from two previous investigations of physical activity and symptomatic or quality of life outcomes in the United States over a two year period (2007–2009). Mobility disability status was determined using the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) while activity behavior was objectively monitored using an ActiGraph accelerometer for 7 days. Results Persons with MS who have mobility disability were involved in sedentary behavior, light and moderate intensity activity for 65%, 34% and 1% of the day, respectively compared to 60%, 37%, and 3%, respectively in those without mobility disability (p mobility disability status. Compared to those without mobility disability, the average number of sedentary bouts longer than 30 min was greater in those with mobility disability (p = 0.016). Conclusion Persons with MS with mobility disability are less active, engage in more sedentary behavior and accumulate prolonged sedentary bouts. PMID:26844077

  15. Effectiveness of Mobile Skill Teaching Software for Parents of Individuals with Intellectual Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cankaya, Serkan; Kuzu, Abdullah

    2018-01-01

    Mobile skill teaching software has been developed for the parents of the children with intellectual disability to be used in teaching daily life skills. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of the mobile skill teaching software developed for the use of the parents of the children with intellectual disability. In…

  16. Patients living with disabilities: The need for high-quality primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lofters, Aisha; Guilcher, Sara; Maulkhan, Niraj; Milligan, James; Lee, Joseph

    2016-08-01

    To compare the potential risk factors for lower-quality primary care, the potential markers of unmet needs in primary care, and the willingness to participate in future research among primary care patients with versus without physical disabilities. A waiting room survey using a convenience sample. A family health team (FHT) in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont, with a designated Mobility Clinic. A total of 40 patients seen at the FHT Mobility Clinic and 80 patients from the general patient population of the same FHT. Socioeconomic status and social capital, number of self-reported emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the preceding year, and willingness of the patients in the 2 groups to participate in future research studies. Patients from the Mobility Clinic were more than twice as likely to be receiving benefits or social assistance (75.0% vs 32.1%, P data for research, 82.5% of Mobility Clinic patients agreed versus 55.0% of those in the general patient population (P = .004). In this study, patients with disabilities were at a social disadvantage compared with their peers without disabilities and were more likely to use the emergency department, suggesting that they had unmet health needs. Future research should continue to explore this patient population and to investigate if an interprofessional primary health care team approach focused on patients with disabilities can help to increase quality of care. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

  17. Assisted Living Systems for Elderly and Disabled People: A Short Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivo Iliev

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The number of elderly people living alone in their homes is permanently growing in the whole western world. Because of the deteriorating capabilities to sense and interact with the environment, such as memory, eye sight, hearing and mobility, the ageing populations often live with significantly degraded life quality. Many also suffer from chronic diseases that require medical treatment and periodical examinations. Different Assisted Living Systems have been proposed to cope with the problems. The goal is to enable the elderly people to live longer in their preferred environment, to enhance the quality of their live and to reduce the expenses of the public health care. The Assisted Living Systems are based on a lot of sensors, actuators and multimedia equipment, providing for the autonomy of people and assisting them in carrying out their daily activities together with available interaction with remote relatives and friends. The applied approaches and implementations are specific that limit the dissemination of the results between the object oriented groups. Besides, most of the projects require considerable funding for implementation. For the time being and especially for some countries with lower Gross Domestic Product, the efforts may be directed to creation of low-cost assistive systems performing some basic tasks, related to the need and health status of the living alone adults or disabled people, e.g. automatic fall detection and signalization, as well as instantaneous monitoring the photo-pletismographic signals together with permanently available communication interface between the caregiver and the user.

  18. Disability, Activities of Daily Living and Self Efficacy in Dialysis Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukadder Mollaoglu

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess patients’ disability, activities of daily living and self-efficacy patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD and continuos ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD, to examine the relationship between them. Material and Methods: This study was carried with 152 patients as sample group. In this study, three instruments were used: Personal Information Form, Brief Disability Questionnaire, Katz\\'s Activity\\'s of Daily Living Index and Lawton and Brody\\'s Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Index and Self-efficacy Assessment Form. Data collected from the study was analyzed using percent, mean, Tukey test, significance test of two means, One-way variant analysis and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The study results demonstrate that while there is a correlation between self-care ability and age, education level, marital status and additional health problems, factors such as age, gender, education level, work status, income level, social insurance status and frequency of hemodialysis application determine self-efficacy. Furthermore, a negative correlation was found between patients’ disability and activities of daily living , self-efficacy. It was determined that as the level of disability increases self-efficiacy level decreases. Conclusions: Dialysis application affects patients’ disability, activities of daily living and self-efficacy levels. In view of this study’s results, it is recommended to organize education programs to increase self-efficacy levels of dialysis patients and prepare comprehensive plans including patients’ families. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2011; 10(2.000: 181-186

  19. Impaired mobility, depressed mood, cognitive impairment and polypharmacy are independently associated with disability in older cancer outpatients: The prospective Physical Frailty in Elderly Cancer patients (PF-EC) cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pamoukdjian, Frederic; Aparicio, Thomas; Zelek, Laurent; Boubaya, Marouane; Caillet, Philippe; François, Veronique; de Decker, Laure; Lévy, Vincent; Sebbane, Georges; Paillaud, Elena

    2017-05-01

    To assess the prevalence of disability and the oncologic factors associated with disability in older outpatients with cancer. The Physical Frailty in Elderly Cancer patients (PF-EC) study (France) is a prospective bicentric observational cohort study. Two hundred and ninety outpatients with cancer were included. A cross-sectional analysis of oncologic factors and geriatric variables associated with disability that were collected using a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was conducted. Disability was defined as impairment in activities of daily living (ADL) and/or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), simplified to four items. Univariate and multivariate logistic models of disabled patients were performed. The three final multivariate models were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC/ROC) of the logistic model. The mean age was 80.6years, and 51% of the patients were women with various types of cancer. The prevalence of disability was 67.6%. No oncologic factors (cancer site, cancer extension) were associated with disability. Impaired mobility, poor functional status, depressive mood, cognitive impairment and polypharmacy were independently associated with disability (PDisability was highly prevalent in older cancer outpatients before cancer treatment but was not associated with oncologic factors. Impaired mobility, depressed mood, cognitive impairment and polypharmacy were the geriatric variables significantly and independently associated with disability. Identifying these factors prior to cancer treatment could enable the implementation of corrective actions to improve patient autonomy before treatment and during follow-up. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Use of stance time variability for predicting mobility disability in community-dwelling older persons: a prospective study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brach, J.S.; Wert, D.; Swearingen, J.M. van; Newman, A.B.; Studenski, S.A.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mobility disability is a serious and frequent adverse health outcome associated with aging. Early identification of individuals at risk for mobility disability is important if interventions to prevent disability are to be instituted. The objectives of this prospective study

  1. [Artificial intelligence in medicine: project of a mobile platform in an intelligent environment for the care of disabled and elderly people].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortés, Ulises; Annicchiarico, Roberta; Campana, Fabio; Vázquez-Salceda, Javier; Urdiales, Cristina; Canãmero, Lola; López, Maite; Sánchez-Marrè, Miquel; Di Vincenzo, Sarah; Caltagirone, Carlo

    2004-04-01

    A project based on the integration of new technologies and artificial intelligence to develop a device--e-tool--for disabled patients and elderly people is presented. A mobile platform in intelligent environments (skilled-care facilities and home-care), controlled and managed by a multi-level architecture, is proposed to support patients and caregivers to increase self-dependency in activities of daily living.

  2. Physical activity (PA) and the disablement process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz-Larsen, Kirsten; Rahmanfard, Naghmeh; Holst, Claus

    2012-01-01

    . Among older women, the association between RPA and incidence of disability was attenuated in analyses that controlled for baseline mobility function. Thus, the association between physical activity and mortality reflected processes different from those underlying a simple relation between physical...... activity, disability and mortality. Physical activity was an ubiquitous predictor of longevity, but only for women....... community-living persons, aged 75-83 years, we evaluated the 1021 who reported no disability in basic activities of daily living. Participants were followed for a median of 8.34 years in public registers to determine onset of disability and mortality. RPA predicted mortality in older women (HR=1.77, 95%CI=1...

  3. Onset of mobility disability among community-dwelling old men and women. The role of tiredness in daily activities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Avlund, Kirsten; Vass, Mikkel; Hendriksen, Carsten

    2003-01-01

    BACKGROUND: in the primary prevention of disability among older adults it might be useful to identify individuals at high risk for functional decline before it occurs. OBJECTIVE: to examine whether tiredness in daily activities is an independent determinant of onset of mobility disability at 1 1...... activities at baseline had a higher risk of onset of mobility disability at 1 1/2-year follow-up, when adjusted by the covariates. In addition, low social participation, poor psychological function, and physical inactivity were independent risk factors of onset of mobility disability among men, and home help......, low sense of coherence and physical inactivity were independent risk factors of onset of mobility disability among women. CONCLUSION: older people who complain about tiredness are at higher risk of becoming disabled than others. This highlights the need for alertness and management of this early sign...

  4. Accessibility of health clubs for people with mobility disabilities and visual impairments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rimmer, James H; Riley, Barth; Wang, Edward; Rauworth, Amy

    2005-11-01

    We sought to examine the accessibility of health clubs to persons with mobility disabilities and visual impairments. We assessed 35 health clubs and fitness facilities as part of a national field trial of a new instrument, Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments (AIMFREE), designed to assess accessibility of fitness facilities in the following domains: (1) built environment, (2) equipment, (3) swimming pools, (4) information, (5) facility policies, and (6) professional behavior. All facilities had a low to moderate level of accessibility. Some of the deficiencies concerned specific Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines pertaining to the built environment, whereas other deficiency areas were related to aspects of the facilities' equipment, information, policies, and professional staff. Persons with mobility disabilities and visual impairments have difficulty accessing various areas of fitness facilities and health clubs. AIMFREE is an important tool for increasing awareness of these accessibility barriers for people with disabilities.

  5. Disability and Quality of Life among People Living With HIV/AIDS in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hence, the focus of management for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) has shifted to issues relating to function and Quality of Life (QoL). Information is scarce on disability issues and quality of life among people living with HIIV/AIDS in Nigeria. This was the premise of this study that assessed the level of disability and ...

  6. Associations and impact factors between living arrangements and functional disability among older Chinese adults.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Wang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of living arrangements with functional disability among older persons and explore the mediation of impact factors on the relationship. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using data from Healthy Aging study in Zhejiang Province. PARTICIPANTS: Analyzed sample was drawn from a representative rural population of older persons in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, including 1542 participants aged 60 and over in the second wave of the study. MEASUREMENTS: Living arrangements, background, functional disability, self-rated health, number of diseases, along with contemporaneous circumstances including income, social support (physical assistance and emotional support. Instrument was Activities of Daily Living (ADL scale, including Basic Activities Daily Living (BADL and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL. RESULTS: Living arrangements were significantly associated with BADL, IADL and ADL disability. Married persons living with or without children were more advantaged on all three dimensions of functional disability. Unmarried older adults living with children only had the worst functional status, even after controlling for background, social support, income and health status variables (compared with the unmarried living alone, ß for BADL: -1.262, ß for IADL: -2.112, ß for ADL: -3.388; compared with the married living with children only, ß for BADL: -1.166, ß for IADL: -2.723, ß for ADL: -3.902. In addition, older adults without difficulty in receiving emotional support, in excellent health and with advanced age had significantly better BADL, IADL and ADL function. However, a statistically significant association between physical assistance and functional disability was not found. CONCLUSION: Functional disabilities vary by living arrangements with different patterns and other factors. Our results highlight the association of unmarried elders living with children only and functioning decline comparing with

  7. YHD in Struggle for Independent Living for Disabled

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Pečarič

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The YHD group (Youth Handicapped Deprivileged was shaped from the need of young disabled students who wanted to taste freedom and independence. Through revolt, persistence and thirst for answers, the informal movement Youth Handicapped Deprivileged was established. It was later transformed into YHD – Association for Theory and Culture of Handicap. YHD found a home in ACC Metelkova and has stayed there for 20 years. The theory of handicap and revolt against medical comprehension of disability are the principal guidelines to which the Associations’ projects and actions adhere. Other associations for disabled people are centered around medical diagnoses of its members, whereas YDH aims to bring about positive changes concerning the position of handicapped people in the society. For YHD, disability is a social status and not a characteristic of the body or a mental condition, difficulty or »special need«. YHD rejects a pre-written script for the lives of the disabled.

  8. A study on mobility improvement for intellectually disabled student commuters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fumihiko Nakamura

    2017-07-01

    Overall, our findings suggested that to actually implement mobility support in school commuting environments in a way that will improve the mobility of intellectually disabled people requires not only the cooperation of schools, but also contributions from transport operators, road administrators, and traffic administrators. Because the contributions of these entities are essential, awareness-raising activities and a system for promoting common understanding among them are vital.

  9. Do vehicle grants and vehicle adaptations grants promote transport mobility and community access for children with disabilities in Sweden?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjödin, Linda; Buchanan, Angus; Mundt, Beate; Karlsson, Emelie; Falkmer, Torbjörn

    2012-02-01

    A vast majority of the journeys made by children with disabilities in Sweden are in the family car, which usually is bought and adapted for the child with governmental subsidies. Despite the important philosophical views about accessible vehicles, little is known about the impact of vehicle adaptations on families' lives. The aim of the study was to investigate parent views about the impact of vehicle grants and vehicle adaptation grants on their children's transport mobility and community access. In total, 434 parents of children with disabilities in Sweden who had received vehicle grants and/or vehicle adaptation grants between 1998-2007 responded to a questionnaire comprising questions with both pre-selected and open-ended answers. A non-responder analysis was performed. Children with disabilities were found to increase their transport mobility and community access in society as vehicle grants and/or vehicle adaptation grants were given to their parents. Their travel patterns and their travel priorities with their family car indicated that family friends and relatives and leisure activities were frequently visited and prioritised destinations. The grants were linked to access to social and family activities, provided environmental gains and led to increased experienced security. The results also showed that the potential to make spontaneous trips had increased substantially and that families experienced feelings of freedom and enhanced community access. The non-responder analysis confirmed these results. According to parents, vehicle grants and vehicle adaptation grants for children with disabilities have a positive impact on the children's transport mobility and community access. © 2011 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2011 Occupational Therapy Australia.

  10. Rehabilitation strategies enhancing participation in shopping malls for persons living with a disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alary Gauvreau, Christine; Kairy, Dahlia; Mazer, Barbara; Guindon, Andréanne; Le Dorze, Guylaine

    2018-04-01

    After rehabilitation, it is not clear the extent to which persons living with a disability return to their former activities in the community, such as going to shopping malls. Rehabilitation professionals are faced with the challenge to adequately prepare their clients to resume community participation. The purpose of this study was to identify rehabilitation strategies aimed at preparing clients to engage in activities in shopping malls. Twenty-two participants including 16 rehabilitation clinicians and 6 persons living with a disability participated in four nominal group sessions. Participants were questioned on current or potential rehabilitation strategies carried out to enhance participation in shopping malls for persons living with a disability. Discussions were audio-recorded and qualitative content analysis was conducted. Participants mentioned strategies that were either carried out by the clinician, or in collaboration with other parties. The latter type of strategies was either carried out with the collaboration of the client, the interdisciplinary team, the relatives, or community organizations. Rehabilitation clinicians have a role to play in preparing persons living with a disability to resume activities in a shopping mall. Additionally, therapeutic interventions in community settings may enhance the participation of rehabilitation clients in their everyday activities. Implications for rehabilitation Many strategies are currently used in rehabilitation to prepare persons living with a disability to resume shopping activities. Clinicians could implement shopping-oriented rehabilitation strategies with the client and/or with other rehabilitation partners. Involving clients in activities related to shopping might enhance their participation in shopping malls after rehabilitation. Rehabilitation clinicians can be facilitators for people living with a disability to reach optimal participation.

  11. Perspectives on Early Power Mobility Training, Motivation, and Social Participation in Young Children with Motor Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiang-Han Huang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The efficacy of traditional training programs (e.g., neurodevelopmental therapy in promoting independent mobility and early child development across all three International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health levels lacks rigorous research support. Therefore, early power mobility training needs to be considered as a feasible intervention for very young children who are unlikely to achieve independent mobility. This perspective article has three aims: (1 to provide empirical evidence of differences in early independent mobility, motivation, daily life activities, and social participation between young children with typical development and motor disabilities; (2 to discuss the contemporary concepts of and approaches to early power mobility training for young children with motor disabilities and the current need for changes to such training; and (3 to provide recommendations for early power mobility training in pediatric rehabilitation. Independent mobility is critical for social participation; therefore, power mobility can be accessible and implemented as early as possible, specifically for infants who are at risk for mobility or developmental delay. To maximize the positive effects of independent mobility on children’s social participation, early power mobility training must consider their levels of functioning, the amount of exploration and contextual factors, including individual and environmental factors.

  12. Integration of the social environment in a mobility ontology for people with motor disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharebaghi, Amin; Mostafavi, Mir-Abolfazl; Edwards, Geoffrey; Fougeyrollas, Patrick; Gamache, Stéphanie; Grenier, Yan

    2017-07-07

    Our contemporary understanding of disability is rooted in the idea that disability is the product of human-environment interaction processes. People may be functionally limited, but this becomes a disability only when they engage with their immediate social and physical environments. Any attempt to address issues of mobility in relation to people with disabilities should be grounded in an ontology that encompasses this understanding. The objective of this study is to provide a methodology to integrate the social and physical environments in the development of a mobility ontology for people with motor disabilities (PWMD). We propose to create subclasses of concepts based on a Nature-Development distinction rather than creating separate social and physical subclasses. This allows the relationships between social and physical elements to be modelled in a more compact and efficient way by specifying them locally within each entity, and better accommodates the complexities of the human-environment interaction as well. Based on this approach, an ontology for mobility of PWMD considering four main elements - the social and physical environmental factors, human factors, life habits related to mobility and possible goals of mobility - is presented. We demonstrate that employing the Nature-Development perspective facilitates the process of developing useful ontologies, especially for defining the relationships between the social and physical parts of the environment. This is a fundamental issue for modelling the interaction between humans and their social and physical environments for a broad range of applications, including the development of geospatial assistive technologies for navigation of PWMD. Implications for rehabilitation The proposed perspective may actually have much broader interests beyond the issue of disability - much of the interesting dynamics in city development arises from the interaction between human-developed components - the built environment and its

  13. Effects of Functional Mobility Skills Training for Adults with Severe Multiple Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whinnery, Stacie B.; Whinnery, Keith W.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of a functional mobility program on the functional standing and walking skills of five adults with developmental disabilities. The Mobility Opportunities Via Education (MOVE) Curriculum was implemented using a multiple-baseline across subjects design. Repeated measures were taken during baseline, intervention…

  14. Supporting seamless mobility for P2P live streaming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eunsam; Kim, Sangjin; Lee, Choonhwa

    2014-01-01

    With advent of various mobile devices with powerful networking and computing capabilities, the users' demand to enjoy live video streaming services such as IPTV with mobile devices has been increasing rapidly. However, it is challenging to get over the degradation of service quality due to data loss caused by the handover. Although many handover schemes were proposed at protocol layers below the application layer, they inherently suffer from data loss while the network is being disconnected during the handover. We therefore propose an efficient application-layer handover scheme to support seamless mobility for P2P live streaming. By simulation experiments, we show that the P2P live streaming system with our proposed handover scheme can improve the playback continuity significantly compared to that without our scheme.

  15. Supporting Seamless Mobility for P2P Live Streaming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunsam Kim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available With advent of various mobile devices with powerful networking and computing capabilities, the users' demand to enjoy live video streaming services such as IPTV with mobile devices has been increasing rapidly. However, it is challenging to get over the degradation of service quality due to data loss caused by the handover. Although many handover schemes were proposed at protocol layers below the application layer, they inherently suffer from data loss while the network is being disconnected during the handover. We therefore propose an efficient application-layer handover scheme to support seamless mobility for P2P live streaming. By simulation experiments, we show that the P2P live streaming system with our proposed handover scheme can improve the playback continuity significantly compared to that without our scheme.

  16. Making mobility-related disability better: a complex response to a complex problem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockwood, Kenneth

    2012-10-15

    Mobility disability in older adults can arise from single system problems, such as discrete musculoskeletal injury. In frail older adults, however, mobility disability is part of a complex web of problems. The approach to their rehabilitation must take that complexity into account, as is reported by Fairhall et al. First, their overall health state must be assessed, which is achieved by a comprehensive geriatric assessment. The assessment can show how a particular patient came to be disabled, so that an individualized care plan can be worked out. Whether this approach works in general can be evaluated by looking at group differences in mean mobility test scores. Knowing whether it has worked in the individual patient requires an individualized measure. This is because not every patient starts from the same point, and not every patient achieves success by aiming for the same goal. For one patient, walking unassisted for three metres would be a triumph; for another it would be a tragedy. Unless we understand the complexity of the needs of frail older adults, we will neither be able to treat them effectively nor evaluate our efforts sensibly.Please see related article http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/120.

  17. Exploring the lived experiences of people with learning disabilities who are dying of cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuffrey-Wijne, Irene; Bernal, Jane; Hubert, Jane; Butler, Gary; Hollins, Sheila

    Growing numbers of people with learning disabilities are living longer and dying of age related illnesses such as cancer. To explore the experiences of people with learning disabilities who have cancer. The study used participant observation with 13 people with learning disabilities. All had a cancer diagnosis and 10 were terminally ill. Participants were visited regularly at home and in other settings, including hospitals. The main themes were: dependent lives; deprived lives; truth telling and understanding; the importance of families; inexperienced carers and unprepared services; and resilience. To understand the experiences of people with learning disabilities who are dying of cancer, it is important to understand their previous life experiences and key relationships. Healthcare professionals who treat people with respect, dignity and openness can make a positive difference to their care.

  18. Is Obesity More Than a Double Burden among People with Mobility Disability? The Effect of Obesity on HRQoL and Participation in Society.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmgren, Marianne; de Munter, Jeroen; Rasmussen, Finn; Sandberg, Magnus; Ahlström, Gerd

    2017-10-24

    Obesity is more common in individuals with mobility disability than in those without this condition. Individuals with mobility disability also have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and are limited in their participation in society. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the body mass index (BMI) status and the association of overweight or obesity on HRQoL and participation in society among those with mobility disability in comparison to those without mobility disability. This cross-sectional study was based on a health survey conducted in Sweden in 2012 ( n = 18,322; age, 18-64 years). Logistic regression with and without interaction analysis was applied. Effect modification by overweight status was significant for, moderate pain. For obesity, effect modification was seen for low general health, pain (moderate and severe), and not participating in work. BMI was higher among those with mobility disability, but no associations between overweight or obesity and HRQoL or participation in society were observed for those with mobility disability. Overweight and obesity did not add an additional burden to mobility disability, probably because mobility disability is associated with low HRQoL and low participation in society. Despite these results, population obesity prevention strategies are still needed.

  19. Is Obesity More Than a Double Burden among People with Mobility Disability? The Effect of Obesity on HRQoL and Participation in Society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marianne Holmgren

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is more common in individuals with mobility disability than in those without this condition. Individuals with mobility disability also have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL and are limited in their participation in society. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the body mass index (BMI status and the association of overweight or obesity on HRQoL and participation in society among those with mobility disability in comparison to those without mobility disability. This cross-sectional study was based on a health survey conducted in Sweden in 2012 (n = 18,322; age, 18–64 years. Logistic regression with and without interaction analysis was applied. Effect modification by overweight status was significant for, moderate pain. For obesity, effect modification was seen for low general health, pain (moderate and severe, and not participating in work. BMI was higher among those with mobility disability, but no associations between overweight or obesity and HRQoL or participation in society were observed for those with mobility disability. Overweight and obesity did not add an additional burden to mobility disability, probably because mobility disability is associated with low HRQoL and low participation in society. Despite these results, population obesity prevention strategies are still needed.

  20. The Smart Wheelchair: is it an appropriate mobility training tool for children with physical disabilities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGarry, Sarah; Moir, Lois; Girdler, Sonya

    2012-09-01

    To describe the impact of a mobility training program using the Smart Wheelchair on the driving skills and psychosocial outcomes of children with physical disabilities. A multiple case study design using mixed methods was used. Four children with physical disabilities were recruited through The Centre for Cerebral Palsy in Western Australia. The intervention was a 16 session Smart Wheelchair mobility training program. Data was collected using a quantitative driving skills assessment, field notes and qualitative parent interviews. Three out of four children gained independence in at least three driving skills or more, whilst one child was competent with verbal prompts. Three out of four mothers reported positive changes in their child's confidence, motivation and affect. The Smart Wheelchair has the ability to uncover learning potential and facilitate the recognition of abilities in children previously excluded from access to independent mobility. Given the significant limitation that restrictions in mobility pose to participation for children with physical disabilities, therapists must begin to understand the effectiveness of interventions such as the Smart Wheelchair. The descriptive findings of this study allow for future, more rigorous research, to be conducted on the effectiveness of the Smart Wheelchair as a mobility training tool.

  1. Exploring disability from the perspective of adults living with HIV/AIDS: Development of a conceptual framework

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bayoumi Ahmed M

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Since the advent of combination antiretroviral therapy, in developed countries HIV increasingly is perceived as a long-term illness. Individuals may experience health-related consequences of HIV and its associated treatments, a concept that may be termed disability. To date, a comprehensive framework for understanding the health-related consequences experienced by people living with HIV has not been developed. The purpose of this research was to develop a conceptual framework of disability from the perspective of adults living with HIV. Methods We conducted four focus groups and 15 face-to-face interviews with 38 adults living with HIV. We asked participants to describe their health-related challenges, their physical, social and psychological areas of life affected, and impact on their overall health. We analyzed data using grounded theory techniques. We also conducted two validity check focus groups with seven returning participants. Results Disability was conceptualized by participants as multi-dimensional and episodic characterized by unpredictable periods of wellness and illness. The Episodic Disability Framework consisted of three main components: a dimensions of disability that included symptoms and impairments, difficulties carrying out day-to-day activities, challenges to social inclusion, and uncertainty that may fluctuate on a daily basis and over the course of living with HIV, b contextual factors that included extrinsic factors (social support and stigma and intrinsic factors (living strategies and personal attributes that may exacerbate or alleviate disability, and c triggers that initiate momentous or major episodes of disability such as receiving an HIV diagnosis, starting or changing medications, experiencing a serious illness, and suffering a loss of others. Conclusion The Episodic Disability Framework considers the variable nature of disability, acknowledges uncertainty as a key component, describes

  2. Happiness of Male Adolescents With Disabled Physical Mobility: Benefits of Mental Rehabilitation Based on Positive Thinking Skills Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Rostami

    2017-09-01

    Discussion: Positive thinking skills training can increase the happiness scores of adolescents with disabled physical mobility. Thus, we can say that method used in this study can be appropriate for psycho-educational interventions and counseling of physical mobility disabled male students. 

  3. Making mobility-related disability better: a complex response to a complex problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rockwood Kenneth

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Mobility disability in older adults can arise from single system problems, such as discrete musculoskeletal injury. In frail older adults, however, mobility disability is part of a complex web of problems. The approach to their rehabilitation must take that complexity into account, as is reported by Fairhall et al. First, their overall health state must be assessed, which is achieved by a comprehensive geriatric assessment. The assessment can show how a particular patient came to be disabled, so that an individualized care plan can be worked out. Whether this approach works in general can be evaluated by looking at group differences in mean mobility test scores. Knowing whether it has worked in the individual patient requires an individualized measure. This is because not every patient starts from the same point, and not every patient achieves success by aiming for the same goal. For one patient, walking unassisted for three metres would be a triumph; for another it would be a tragedy. Unless we understand the complexity of the needs of frail older adults, we will neither be able to treat them effectively nor evaluate our efforts sensibly. Please see related article http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/120

  4. Exploration of the academic lives of students with disabilities at South African universities: Lecturers’ perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliver Mutanga

    2017-03-01

    Methods: In an effort to understand the lives of students with disabilities better, a study which included students with disabilities, lecturers and disability supporting staff was conducted at two South African universities – University of the Free State and University of Venda. The paper takes a snapshot view of four lecturers and their perceptions of the lives of students with disabilities at their respective universities. Results and Conclusion: Although most disability literature report students with disabilities blaming lecturers for their failure to advance their needs, this paper highlights that the education system needs to be supportive to lecturers for the inclusive agenda to be realised. An argument is made for a more comprehensive approach towards a national disability policy in higher education involving many stakeholders. Without a broader understanding of disability, it will be difficult to engage with the complex ways in which inequalities emerge and are sustained.

  5. The Role of Physical Therapists in Living Environment Maintenance of the Home-bound Elderly Disabled.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemasa, Seiichi; Abe, Yoko; Nagao, Toru; Murakami, Masahito; Koeda, Hideki; Naruse, Susumu; Gotou, Makoto; Uesugi, Masayuki; Inoue, Yuri; Nanba, Yoshihumi

    2013-07-01

    [Purpose] This study explored the roles of physical therapists (PTs) in living environment maintenance, which is essential for living securely and stably at home, and examines how physical therapists can fulfill these roles more efficiently and effectively. [Subjects and Methods] A questionnaire on living environment maintenance was given to PTs working at randomly selected hospitals, health care facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care, home-visit nursing stations, and other such facilities and directly providing physical therapy to the home-bound elderly disabled. The subjects of the study were 77 PTs who returned valid responses. [Results] For awareness of systems for living environment maintenance, PTs were more aware of the system based on the Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance Act than the system based on the Act on Welfare for the Home-Bound Elderly Disabled. PTs who have worked at two or more types of medical, welfare, and intermediate institutions were more aware of such systems than PTs who have worked at only one type. For PTs handling living environment maintenance for the home-bound elderly disabled, approximately 80% of respondents answered that they have handled some living environment maintenance, and PTs with longer clinical experience have handled more living environment maintenance cases. [Conclusion] The results demonstrated that PTs understand their living environment maintenance work well and handle the work. The results, however, also suggested that educational and operational improvements are urgently required for PTs handling living environment maintenance essential for the lives of the home-bound elderly disabled.

  6. Hypertension among US adults by disability status and type, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Alissa; Courtney-Long, Elizabeth; Gillespie, Cathleen; Armour, Brian S

    2014-08-14

    The prevalence of hypertension among people with disabilities is not well understood. We combined data from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to obtain estimates of hypertension prevalence by disability status and type (cognitive, hearing, vision, or mobility limitation) and assess the association between disability and hypertension. Overall, 34% of adults with disabilities had hypertension compared with 27% of adults without disabilities; adults with mobility limitations were more likely to have hypertension than adults without disabilities (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.16-1.32). Our results suggest that adults living with disabilities are an important subpopulation to include in hypertension reporting and intervention efforts.

  7. Does walking speed mediate the association between visual impairment and self-report of mobility disability? The Salisbury Eye Evaluation Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swenor, Bonnielin K; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Muñoz, Beatriz; West, Sheila K

    2014-08-01

    To determine whether performance speeds mediate the association between visual impairment and self-reported mobility disability over an 8-year period. Longitudinal analysis. Salisbury, Maryland. Salisbury Eye Evaluation Study participants aged 65 and older (N=2,520). Visual impairment was defined as best-corrected visual acuity worse than 20/40 in the better-seeing eye or visual field less than 20°. Self-reported mobility disability on three tasks was assessed: walking up stairs, walking down stairs, and walking 150 feet. Performance speed on three similar tasks was measured: walking up steps (steps/s), walking down steps (steps/s), and walking 4 m (m/s). For each year of observation, the odds of reporting mobility disability was significantly greater for participants who were visually impaired (VI) than for those who were not (NVI) (odds ratio (OR) difficulty walking up steps=1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.32-1.89; OR difficulty walking down steps=1.90, 95% CI=1.59-2.28; OR difficulty walking 150 feet=2.11, 95% CI=1.77-2.51). Once performance speed on a similar mobility task was included in the models, VI participants were no longer more likely to report mobility disability than those who were NVI (OR difficulty walking up steps=0.84, 95% CI=0.65-1.11; OR difficulty walking down steps=0.96, 95% CI=0.74-1.24; OR difficulty walking 150 feet=1.22, 95% CI=0.98-1.50). Slower performance speed in VI individuals largely accounted for the difference in the odds of reporting mobility disability, suggesting that VI older adults walk slower and are therefore more likely to report mobility disability than those who are NVI. Improving mobility performance in older adults with visual impairment may minimize the perception of mobility disability. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

  8. Novel Active Learning Experiences for Students to Identify Barriers to Independent Living for People with Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McArthur, Polly; Burch, Lillian; Moore, Katherine; Hodges, Mary Sue

    2016-07-01

    This article describes interactive learning about independent living for people with disabilities and features the partnership of the College of Nursing and a Center for Independent Living (CIL). Using qualitative descriptive approach, students' written reflections were analyzed. Through "Xtreme Challenge," 82 undergraduate nursing students participated in aspects of independent living as well as identifying barriers. Students were engaged and learned to consider the person before the disability. Moreover, students valued the activity leaders' openness, which facilitated understanding the point of view of a person with disability. The value of partnership was evident as it allowed students to participate in active learning, which led to growth in the affective domain. Students became aware of potential education resources through the CIL. This article will guide educators in designing experiences that teach nursing care at the individual, family, and community level for people living with disabilities. © 2015 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

  9. Food Access Patterns and Barriers among Midlife and Older Adults with Mobility Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deborah L. Huang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We examined where midlife and older adults with a mobility disability accessed food outside the home in King County, Washington, USA, how they travelled to these food destinations, and facilitators and barriers to food access using qualitative interviews. Thirty-five adults aged ≥50 years with a mobility disability (defined as use of an assistive device for mobility were interviewed. Supplemental objective information was obtained from a Global Positioning System device worn by participants for 3 days. Participants primarily accessed food at grocery stores, restaurants, and coffee shops/cafés. The most common transportation modes were walking, obtaining a ride from friends, motorized chair/scooter, and public transit. Location and proximity of food destinations were factors affecting participants’ ability to access these destinations. Adequate space, ease of entry, available amenities such as restrooms, and helpful people were facilitators for participants to access food outside the home.

  10. Self-Management Interventions to Prevent the Secondary Condition of Pain in People with Disability Due to Mobility Limitations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katherine Froehlich-Grobe

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction This focused review examines the use and effectiveness of self-management strategies in preventing or managing pain, which is among the most common secondary conditions faced by individuals with a mobility disability. Methods This focused review was part of a two-phase comprehensive scoping review. Phase I was a comprehensive scoping review of the literature targeting multiple outcomes of self-management interventions for those with mobility impairment, and Phase II was a focused review of the literature on self-management interventions that target pain as a primary or secondary outcome. Two authors searched CINAHL, PubMed, and PsyclNFO for papers published from January 1988 through August 2014 using specified search terms. Following the scoping review, the authors independently screened and selected the studies and reviewed the eligible studies, and the first author extracted data from the included studies. Results The scoping review yielded 40 studies that addressed pain self-management interventions for those living with mobility impairment. These 40 accumulated papers revealed a heterogeneous evidence base in terms of setting (clinic, community, and online, target populations, intervention duration (3 weeks to 24 months, and mode (health-care providers and lay leaders. Most of the reviewed studies reported that the self-management intervention led to significant reduction of pain over time, suggesting that self-management may be a promising approach for addressing pain experienced by people who live with mobility limitations. Discussion This review also reveals moderate-to-high bias across studies, and findings indicate that future research should enhance the methodological quality to provide stronger evidence about the effectiveness of self-management strategies for reducing pain among those with mobility impairments.

  11. SHORT TERM EFFECT OF MULLIGANS MOBILIZATION VERSUS KINESIO TAPING ON KNEE PAIN AND DISABILITY FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS OF KNEE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyesh P. Malgaonkar

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Mulligan’s mobilization and Kinesio taping treatment techniques found to be effective on improving pain and functional disability for osteoarthritis of knee. Hence the purpose is to compare the effect of Mulligan’s mobilization and kinesio taping on improvement of pain and functional disability in subjects with osteoarthritis of knee. Method: An experimental study design, 40 subjects with osteoarthritis of knee joint randomized 20 subjects each into Mobilization Group and Taping Group. Mobilization Group was treated with Mulligan’s Mobilization and Taping Group was treated with Therapeutic Kinesio Taping thrice a week for 2 weeks. Outcome measurements such as Visual analog scale (VAS for pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC for functional disability was measured before and after 2 weeks post intervention. Results: Analysis using Paired ‘t’ test and Wilcoxon signed rank test found that there is a statistically significant improvement in VAS and WOMAC within the group. Comparative analysis using Independent‘t’ test and Mann Whitney U test found there is a statistically significant difference in post-intervention means between the groups. Conclusion: The study concluded that both Mulligan’s Mobilization and Kinesio Taping techniques significantly shown short term effect on improvement of pain and functional disability for subjects with osteoarthritis of knee. However, there is no statistically significant difference in short term improvements between Mulligan’s Mobilization and Kinesio Taping. Among both, Mulligan’s Mobilization technique found clinically more effective with greater percentage of improvement than Kinesio Taping technique.

  12. Passive Mobile Bandwidth Classification Using Short Lived TCP Connections

    OpenAIRE

    Michelinakis, Foivos; Kreitz, Gunnar; Petrocco, Riccardo; Zhang, Boxun; Widmer, Joerg

    2015-01-01

    Consumption of multimedia content is moving from a residential environment to mobile phones. Optimizing Quality of Experience—smooth, quick, and high quality playback—is more difficult in this setting, due to the highly dynamic nature of wireless links. A key requirement for achieving this goal is estimating the available bandwidth of mobile devices. Ideally, this should be done quickly and with low overhead. One challenge is that the majority of connections on mobiles are short-lived TCP con...

  13. 6. Disability and Quality Of Life among People Living With HIV AIDS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    Disability and Quality of Life among People Living. With HIV/AIDS in Ibadan, ... activities of daily living as well as challenges with. 7,8 ... infected individuals, their family and the society at large. ... Independence, Social Relationships, Environment ..... efavirenz on neuropsychological performance .... Acta paul. enferm. 2015 ...

  14. Delaying Mobility Disability in People With Parkinson Disease Using a Sensorimotor Agility Exercise Program

    OpenAIRE

    King, Laurie A; Horak, Fay B

    2009-01-01

    This article introduces a new framework for therapists to develop an exercise program to delay mobility disability in people with Parkinson disease (PD). Mobility, or the ability to efficiently navigate and function in a variety of environments, requires balance, agility, and flexibility, all of which are affected by PD. This article summarizes recent research identifying how constraints on mobility specific to PD, such as rigidity, bradykinesia, freezing, poor sensory integration, inflexible...

  15. Can the higher risk of disability onset among older people who live alone be alleviated by strong social relations? A longitudinal study of non-disabled men and women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Rikke; Nilsson, Charlotte Juul; Avlund, Kirsten

    2010-01-01

    population of 2,697 non-disabled older men and women from The Danish Longitudinal Study on Preventive Home Visits. RESULTS: living alone and low social participation were significant risk factors for later male disability onset. Not being satisfied with the social relations was significantly associated...... with onset of disability for both genders. Among men who lived alone low social participation was a significant predictor of disability onset [odds ratio, OR = 2.30 (1.00-5.29)]; for cohabiting men social participation was not associated with disability onset, [adjusted OR = 0.91 (0.49-1.71)]. Similar...... results were present concerning satisfaction with the social relations among men. There was no significant interaction for women. CONCLUSIONS: the study suggests that men who live alone can possibly alleviate their risk of disability onset by being socially active and by having access to satisfactory...

  16. Seeing it my way: living with childhood onset visual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadić, V; Hundt, G Lewando; Keeley, S; Rahi, J S

    2015-03-01

    Although the significant impact of visual disability in childhood has been widely recognized, children's own perspectives of living with a visual impairment have not been considered. We report the experiences of visually impaired (VI) children and young people aged 10-15 years about growing up with impaired sight. The participants were 32 VI children and young people, aged 10-15 years [visual acuity logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) worse than 0.51] recruited through National Health Service (NHS) paediatric ophthalmology and developmental vision clinics and 11 VI pupils aged 12-17 attending a specialist school for pupils with disabilities. Individual semi-structured interviews with participants captured their experiences of living with a visual impairment. A child-centred interview topic guide was developed from a literature review, observations at ophthalmology clinics, consultation with health and education professionals working with VI children and young people, and interviews and a focus group with VI pupils from the specialist school. Collaborative qualitative thematic analysis by three researchers identified emergent themes. NVivo software was used for coding the data. Analysis identified six themes concerning living with a visual impairment: (i) social relationships, participation and acceptance; (ii) independence and autonomy; (iii) psychological and emotional well-being; (iv) aspirations and concerns about the future; (v) functioning - home, school and leisure; and (vi) treatment of eye condition. Key issues included: the importance of family and peer support; balancing independence, support and safety; the emotional burden and adjustment of living with a disability; concerns about education and job prospects in the future; functional restrictions and limitations; and ongoing management of the eye condition. The findings offer insights into the complex realities of living with visual impairment. They provide the basis for development of

  17. Can the higher risk of disability onset among older people who live alone be alleviated by strong social relations? A longitudinal study of non-disabled men and women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lund, Rikke; Nilsson, Charlotte Juul; Avlund, Kirsten

    2010-05-01

    to investigate if the increased risk of disability onset among older people who live alone could possibly be moderated by either high social participation or by being satisfied with the social relations. logistic regression models were tested using two waves in a study population of 2,697 non-disabled older men and women from The Danish Longitudinal Study on Preventive Home Visits. living alone and low social participation were significant risk factors for later male disability onset. Not being satisfied with the social relations was significantly associated with onset of disability for both genders. Among men who lived alone low social participation was a significant predictor of disability onset [odds ratio, OR = 2.30 (1.00-5.29)]; for cohabiting men social participation was not associated with disability onset, [adjusted OR = 0.91 (0.49-1.71)]. Similar results were present concerning satisfaction with the social relations among men. There was no significant interaction for women. the study suggests that men who live alone can possibly alleviate their risk of disability onset by being socially active and by having access to satisfactory social relations. Women do not seem to benefit as much from cohabitation as men, although women who live alone and who are not satisfied with their social relations also constitute a significant risk category.

  18. A nationwide Danish survey on the use of green spaces by people with mobility disabilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stigsdotter, Ulrika K; Corazon, Sus Sola; Ekholm, Ola

    2017-01-01

    and Morbidity Survey in 2005. The study participants consisted of 11,238 adult Danes, 383 of whom reported mobility disabilities, meaning that they were dependent on assistive devices for walking or moving around. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between mobility...

  19. I've got a mobile phone too! Hard and soft assistive technology customization and supportive call centres for people with disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darcy, Simon; Green, Jenny; Maxwell, Hazel

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the use of a mobile technology platform, software customization and technical support services by people with disability. The disability experience is framed through the participants' use of the technology, their social participation. A qualitative and interpretive research design was employed using a three-stage process of observation and semi-structured interviews of people with disability, a significant other and their service provider. Transcripts were analyzed to examine the research questions through the theoretical framework of PHAATE - Policy, Human, Activity, Assistance and Technology and Environment. The analysis revealed three emergent themes: 1. Engagement and activity; 2. Training, support and customization; and 3. Enablers, barriers and attitudes. The findings indicate that for the majority of users, the mobile technology increased the participants' communication and social participation. However, this was not true for all members of the pilot with variations due to disability type, support needs and availability of support services. Most participants, significant others and service providers identified improvements in confidence, security, safety and independence of those involved. Yet, the actions and attitudes of some of the significant others and service providers acted as a constraint to the adoption of the technology. Implications for Rehabilitation Customized mobile technology can operate as assistive technology providing a distinct benefit in terms of promoting disability citizenship. Mobile technology used in conjunction with a supportive call centre can lead to improvements in confidence, safety and independence for people experiencing disability. Training and support are critical in increasing independent use of mobile technology for people with disability. The enjoyment, development of skills and empowerment gained through the use of mobile technology facilitate the social inclusion of people with

  20. Hypertension Among US Adults by Disability Status and Type, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtney-Long, Elizabeth; Gillespie, Cathleen; Armour, Brian S.

    2014-01-01

    The prevalence of hypertension among people with disabilities is not well understood. We combined data from the 2001–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to obtain estimates of hypertension prevalence by disability status and type (cognitive, hearing, vision, or mobility limitation) and assess the association between disability and hypertension. Overall, 34% of adults with disabilities had hypertension compared with 27% of adults without disabilities; adults with mobility limitations were more likely to have hypertension than adults without disabilities (adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 1.16–1.32). Our results suggest that adults living with disabilities are an important subpopulation to include in hypertension reporting and intervention efforts. PMID:25121351

  1. The effect of exercise training in adults with multiple sclerosis with severe mobility disability: A systematic review and future research directions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Thomas; Pilutti, Lara A

    2017-08-01

    There is evidence for the benefits of exercise training in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, these benefits have primarily been established in individuals with mild-to-moderate disability (i.e., Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] scores 1.0-5.5), rather than among those with significant mobility impairment. Further, the approaches to exercise training that have been effective in persons with mild-to-moderate MS disability may not be physically accessible for individuals with mobility limitations. Therefore, there is a demand for an evidence-base on the benefits of physically accessible exercise training approaches for managing disability in people with MS with mobility impairment. To conduct a systematic review of the current literature pertaining to exercise training in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) with severe mobility disability. Four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, OvidMEDLINE, and PsychINFO) were searched for relevant articles published up until October 2016. The review focused on English-language studies that examined the effect of exercise training in people with MS with severe mobility disability, characterized as the need for assistance in ambulation or EDSS score ≥ 6.0. The inclusion criteria involved full-text articles that: (i) included participants with a diagnosis of MS; (ii) included primarily participants with a reported EDSS score ≥ 6.0 and/or definitively described disability consistent with this level of neurological impairment; and (iii) implemented a prospective, structured exercise intervention. Data were analyzed using a descriptive approach and summarized by exercise training modality (conventional or adapted exercise training), and by outcome (disability, physical fitness, physical function, and symptoms and participation). Initially, 1164 articles were identified and after removal of duplicates, 530 articles remained. In total, 512 articles did not meet the inclusion criteria. 19 articles were

  2. A Living Laboratory Exploring Mobile Support for Everyday Life with Diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kanstrup, Anne Marie; Bjerge, Kim; Kristensen, Jens E.

    2010-01-01

    The paper presents the set up of a Living Laboratory in a city of North Denmark exploring mobile support for everyday life with diabetes. Background and definitions of the living lab method is presented together with descriptions of the technical setup, applications and explorations. The living l...

  3. Modified Ride-On Cars and Young Children with Disabilities: Effects of Combining Mobility and Social Training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiang-Han Huang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundResearch has shown that the use of power mobility devices is safe and beneficial for motor and cognitive development in children with motor disabilities; nevertheless, strong evidence of the benefits for social skill development is limited. This study aimed to examine the effects of combining ride-on car training with an adult-directed, social interaction program in a hospital-based environment on mobility and social functions in young children with motor disabilities.MethodsThis study used a prospective, nonequivalent pretest–posttest control group design. Twenty-nine young children with motor disabilities, aged between 1 and 3 years, were recruited from local hospitals in Taiwan. The treatment group (n = 15 underwent 2-h ride-on car training sessions twice per week for a total of 9 weeks in the hospital environment. The control group (n = 14 underwent a 9-week home education program (mean: 200 min/week focusing on mobility and social skills training. The Chinese version of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory, Parenting Stress Index, and Goal Attainment Scaling were administered to all participants before and after the intervention, and at the end of the 9-week follow-up phase.ResultsMobility and social functions significantly improved in both groups after the 9-week intervention, but this improvement was not maintained at the follow-up phase. The treatment group showed significantly better improvement in social function, parenting stress levels, and goal achievement than the control group at posttest.ConclusionThis two-group design study showed the benefits of combining a ride-on car use with a family-centered, structured, social interaction program for positive impacts on mobility, social function, and parenting stress levels. The combination of a modified ride-on car and a social training program has the potential to enhance socialization in young children with motor disabilities.Clinical Trial

  4. The mobility gap between older men and women: the embodiment of gender.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zunzunegui, M V; Alvarado, B E; Guerra, R; Gómez, J F; Ylli, A; Guralnik, J M

    2015-01-01

    To present the study design and baseline results of the longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) on gender differences in physical performance and mobility disability prevalence in five diverse societies. Data are from surveys on random samples of people aged 65-74 years at Canadian (Kingston, Ontario; Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec), Mediterranean (Tirana, Albania) and Latin American sites (Natal, Brazil; Manizales, Colombia) (N=1995). Mobility disability was defined as reporting difficulty in walking 400m or climbing stairs. Activities of daily living (ADL) disability was based on any self-reported difficulty in five mobility-related ADLs. The short physical performance battery (SPPB) was used to assess physical performance. Poisson regression models were fitted to estimate prevalence ratios. Age-adjusted prevalence of low SPPB, mobility disability and ADL disability were higher in women than in men in all sites except for Kingston. After adjustment for education and income, gender differences in SPPB and ADL disability attenuated or disappeared in Saint-Hyacinthe and Manizales but remained large in Tirana and Natal and mobility disability remained more frequent in women than in men at all sites except Kingston. After further adjustment by chronic conditions and depressive symptoms, gender differences in mobility remained large at all sites except Kingston but only in Tirana did women have significantly poorer physical performance than men. Results provide evidence for gender as a risk factor to explain poorer physical function in women and suggest that moving toward gender equality could attenuate the gender gap in physical function in old age. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Significant Improvement in Sleep in People with Intellectual Disabilities Living in Residential Settings by Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hylkema, T.; Vlaskamp, C.

    2009-01-01

    Background: Although about 15 to 50 percent of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in residential settings suffer from sleep problems, scant attention is paid to these problems. Most available studies focus on pharmaceutical solutions. In this study we focus on improving sleep in people with intellectual disabilities living in…

  6. What things make people with a learning disability happy and satisfied with their lives: an inclusive research project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haigh, Anna; Lee, Darren; Shaw, Carl; Hawthorne, Michelle; Chamberlain, Stephen; Newman, David W; Clarke, Zara; Beail, Nigel

    2013-01-01

    We looked at the research that other people have done about what makes people with a learning disability happy and satisfied with their lives. Researchers call being happy and satisfied with your life 'subjective well-being'. They found out that having things like money and good health does not always mean people are happy. They also found that some people are really happy, even if there are things in their lives they would like to change. None of the people who have done research about 'subjective well-being' have interviewed people with a learning disability about what makes them happy with their lives. We have carried out a study about what makes people with a learning disability happy and satisfied with their lives. This report talks about the research that we did, and what we found out. We interviewed 20 people with a learning disability who said they were very happy and satisfied. We asked them about what things helped them feel like this. The people we spoke to said things like relationships, choice and independence, activities and valuable social roles made them feel satisfied with their lives. They told us about the things that enable them to lead happy lives, and the things that disable them. We also found out about the importance of personal characteristics. These are things like looking on the bright side of life or having ways to manage difficult emotions like sadness or anger. We found out that it is important for people with a learning disability to have good things in their lives, but it is also important to be enabled to access these good things. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. Leisure, functional disability and depression among older Chinese living in residential care homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouyang, Zheng; Chong, Alice M L; Ng, Ting Kin; Liu, Susu

    2015-01-01

    Previous research has rarely examined the intervening and buffering effects of leisure on the relationship between age-related stress and health among institutionalized elders, especially in the Chinese context. This study thus examines the extent to which participation in leisure activities mediates and moderates the impact of functional disability on depression among older adults living in residential care homes in China. A total of 1429 participants (858 men) aged over 60 living in residential care homes, of which 46.1% experienced depression using a cut-off score ≥ 5 on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, were selected from a national survey across China by using the probability proportional to size sampling method. The findings showed that depression was positively predicted by functional disability and negatively predicted by participation in leisure activities. The results of the mediation analysis showed that participation in leisure activities partially mediated the relationship between functional disability and depression. Functional disability predicted depression both directly and indirectly through its negative influence on participation in leisure activities. Participation in leisure activities also significantly buffered the relationship between functional disability and depression such that the impact of functional disability was weaker for those who participated in leisure activities more frequently. These results provide support for the mediating and moderating roles of leisure in the stress-health relationship among institutionalized elders. To enhance residents' psychological health, residential care homes are recommended to organize more leisure activities.

  8. Trends in disability of instrumental activities of daily living among older Chinese adults, 1997-2006: population based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yajun; Welmer, Anna-Karin; Möller, Jette; Qiu, Chengxuan

    2017-08-28

    Data on trends for disability in instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) are sparse in older Chinese adults. To assess trends in prevalence and incidence of IADL disability among older Chinese adults and to explore contributing factors. Population based study. 15 provinces and municipalities in China. Participants (age ≥60) were from four waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey, conducted in 1997 (n=1533), 2000 (n=1581), 2004 (n=2028) and 2006 (n=2256), and from two cohorts constructed within the national survey: cohort 1997-2004 (n=712) and cohort 2000-2006 (n=823). IADL disability was defined as inability to perform one or more of the following: shopping, cooking, using transportation, financing and telephoning. Data were analysed with logistic regression and generalised estimating equation models. The prevalence of IADL disability significantly decreased from 1997 to 2006 in the total sample and in all of the subgroups by age, sex, living region and IADL items (all p trend 0.10). The recovery rate from IADL disability significantly increased over time in those aged 60-69 years (p=0.03). Living in a rural area or access to local clinics for healthcare was less disabling over time (p trend <0.02). The prevalence of IADL disability decreased among older Chinese adults during 1997-2006, whereas the incidence remained stable. The declining prevalence of IADL disability might be partly due to the decreased duration of IADL disability, and to improvements in living conditions and healthcare facilities over time. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Acoustical Design Guidelines for Living Rooms for Adults with intellectual Disabilities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Saher, K.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effects of building design tools on acoustical quality parameters in living rooms for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and develop acoustical design guidelines for architects. This study is specifically concerned with the validation of

  10. In their own words: the place of faith in the lives of young people with autism and intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Eleanor X; Carter, Erik W; Boehm, Thomas L; Annandale, Naomi H; Taylor, Courtney E

    2014-10-01

    Abstract Although the prominence of spirituality and religious connections among the people of the United States is well documented, little is known about the place of faith in the lives of youth with developmental disabilities. In this qualitative interview study, we examined the perspectives of 20 young people with intellectual disability or autism on their faith, spiritual expressions, and disability. Participants identified key spiritual expressions and themes reflecting the importance of faith in their lives. They also shared perceptions of their disability in the context of their faith, highlighting affirmation and acceptance of their disability. We offer recommendations to families, faith communities, and service systems for supporting the spiritual formation, expression, and connections of young people with disabilities.

  11. Social marketing strategies for reaching older people with disabilities: findings from a survey of centers for independent living participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moone, Rajean Paul; Lightfoot, Elizabeth

    2009-01-01

    Centers for independent living (CILs) provide critical supports, services, and advocacy for assisting people with disabilities in living independently. As there is a rapidly increasing population of older people with disabilities, many CILs are now considering how to actively engage older adults in their organizations. This study utilized a survey of older people with disabilities to help identify social marketing techniques that community organizations like CILs can use to effectively reach older people with disabilities. Utilizing the components of the social marketing mix in designing outreach efforts, including a critical examination of product, place, price, participants, and partnering, CILs and other community agencies can better reach older adults with disabilities.

  12. Mobile Money Empowering People Living at Bottom of Pyramid and Boosting Socio-Economic Development in a Big Way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agrawal Reena

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Hardly anyone would disagree that mobile money is an engine of financial inclusion and has the potential to outreach millions of people, living at the bottom of pyramid and those living in remote areas. The current study was taken up to investigate the impact of mobile money access on the people living at the bottom of pyramid. The aim was to: (1 understand the concept of mobile money, (2 explore the relevance of mobile money in economic growth, (3 capture the growth of mobile money worldwide, (4 explore the socio – economic impact of mobile money and (4 discuss vital insights for traditional financial institutions and policy makers. The study revealed that mobile money had positive impact on financial inclusion. It also enhanced the economic opportunities for the large unbanked population living at the bottom of pyramid. The increase in the mobile penetration and use of mobile internet, among the people living at the bottom of pyramid in the developing countries, clearly reflect at the potential of mobile money, in bringing the financially excluded in the economic mainstream and thus help in sustainable socio-economic development.

  13. Physical activity (PA) and the disablement process: a 14-year follow-up study of older non-disabled women and men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schultz-Larsen, Kirsten; Rahmanfard, Naghmeh; Holst, Claus

    2012-01-01

    Few studies have explored the associations of reported PA (RPA) with the processes underlying the development of disability. The present study was performed to explore RPA among older persons and its association with onset of functional dependence and mortality. Among a probability sample of 1782 community-living persons, aged 75-83 years, we evaluated the 1021 who reported no disability in basic activities of daily living. Participants were followed for a median of 8.34 years in public registers to determine onset of disability and mortality. RPA predicted mortality in older women (HR=1.77, 95%CI=1.42-2.19) and men (HR=1.65, 95%CI=1.27-2.14) over long time intervals. The effect of RPA persisted among permanently disabled older women, after adjusting for age, baseline vulnerability and grade of disability. Low RPA was independently associated with risk of incident disability (HR=1.56, 95%CI=1.10-2.23) in men. Among older women, the association between RPA and incidence of disability was attenuated in analyses that controlled for baseline mobility function. Thus, the association between physical activity and mortality reflected processes different from those underlying a simple relation between physical activity, disability and mortality. Physical activity was an ubiquitous predictor of longevity, but only for women. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Live Mobile Distance Learning System for Smart Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jang Ho Lee

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, mobile and ubiquitous computing has emerged in our daily lives, and extensive studies have been conducted in various areas using smart devices, such as tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, smart refrigerators, and smart media devices, in order to realize this computing technology. Especially, the integration of mobile networking technology and intelligent mobile devices has made it possible to develop the advanced mobile distance learning system that supports portable smart devices such as smartphones and tablets for the future IT environment. We present a synchronous mobile learning system that enables both instructor and student to participate in distance learning with their tablets. When an instructor gives a lecture using a tablet with front-face camera by bringing up slides and making annotations on them, students in the distance can watch the instructor and those slides with annotation on their own tablets in real time. A student can also ask a question or have a discussion together using the text chat feature of the system during a learning session. We also show the user evaluation of the system. A user survey shows that about 67% are in favor of the prototype of the system.

  15. Housing and Independent Living for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leach, Debra

    2016-01-01

    This manuscript provides a review of housing and independent living options for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). While there has certainly been an increased emphasis on community integration and inclusion for people with I/DD, barriers to delivering housing supports and services in natural, integrated settings…

  16. Using mobile technology with individuals with aphasia: native iPad features and everyday apps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabo, Gretchen; Dittelman, Janice

    2014-02-01

    The use of mobile technology, including smartphones and tablet devices, is a growing trend among adults nationwide, and its potential use in aphasia rehabilitation has generated widespread interest. Despite this trend, adults living with disability are less likely than other adults to go online. Complicating things further, most adults living with aphasia come from a generation where computers and technology were not an integral part of their lives. Additionally, training adults with aphasia requires a different approach than training those in the same age bracket without a disability. This article describes the mobile technology program at the Adler Aphasia Center in Maywood, New Jersey. The goal of this program is to improve access to mobile technology for people with aphasia. The use of mobile devices is the focus of the article. Mobile technology concepts and skills needed to establish a strong foundation for successful iPad (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA) use are suggested. We discuss how apps may be used to support aphasia therapy with a focus on apps that are native to the iPad and on other apps that were not specifically developed for aphasia rehabilitation. Challenges in implementing a mobile technology program for people with aphasia and individual member success stories are included. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  17. From Social Exclusion to Supported Inclusion: Adults with Intellectual Disability Discuss Their Lived Experiences of a Structured Social Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Nathan J; Jaques, Hayden; Johnson, Amanda; Brotherton, Michelle L

    2017-09-01

    People with intellectual disability often have few friends and experience social exclusion. Recognising this gap, supported social groups with the aim of inclusion and interdependence were created by a supported employment provider. Interviews were undertaken with 10 adults with intellectual disability exploring their lived experiences of a supported social group. Data were analysed using descriptive phenomenology. Two themes emerged (i) supported engagement fosters wellbeing, and (ii) developing social belonging and connectedness. Participants not only acknowledged the support that they needed to participate, but also that the social group had changed their lives in many ways. Adults with intellectual disability want to socialise, have friends and be part of their community. For this to be achieved, they recognise the need to seek some form of support. With appropriate and targeted support, adults with intellectual disability can move from social exclusion towards supported inclusion and experience richer lives. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Mobile social network services for families with children with developmental disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Li-Der; Lai, Nien-Hwa; Chen, Yen-Wen; Chang, Yao-Jen; Yang, Jyun-Yan; Huang, Lien-Fu; Chiang, Wen-Ling; Chiu, Hung-Yi; Shin, Haw-Yun

    2011-07-01

    As Internet technologies evolve, their applications have changed various aspects of human life. Here, we attempt to examine their potential impact on services for families with developmentally delayed children. Our research is thus designed to utilize wireless mobile communication technologies, location services, and search technology in an effort to match families of specific needs with potential care providers. Based on the investigation conducted by our counselors, this paper describes a platform for smooth communication between professional communities and families with children with developmental disabilities (CDD). This research also looks into the impact of management of mobile social network services and training on the operation of these services. Interaction opportunities, care, and support to families with CDD are introduced.

  19. The impact of mobility assistive technology devices on participation for individuals with disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carver, Jordan; Ganus, Ashley; Ivey, Jon Mark; Plummer, Teresa; Eubank, Ann

    2016-08-01

    This study aims to address the gap in research and contribute to the body of knowledge on the perspectives assistive technology device users have toward their devices. Mixed methods were used to better understand the impact of mobility assistive technology devices (MATDs) on participation for individuals with disabilities. The Functional Mobility Assessment was administered in conjunction with two qualitative questions developed by the research team allowing participants to expound on the impact of their MATD experience. Participants were recruited online via the National Spinal Cord Injury Association website and in-person at Abilities Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, and the International Seating Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee. Results are consistent with findings from prior research regarding accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Corresponding findings were found in both the quantitative and qualitative data and are categorized into several major themes: environment (indoor and outdoor), surface heights, transportation, dependence, independence, quality of life and participation. Quantitative data from this study indicate that users of MATD are satisfied with the way in which their devices enable maneuvering indoors, while qualitative data suggest otherwise. Implications for healthcare practitioners are described and future recommendations are provided. Implications for Rehabilitation Healthcare professionals should advocate for proper mobility assistive technology devices (MATDs) for their patients in order to enable increased independence, safety and efficiency. Healthcare professionals must be cognizant of the impact of the environment and/or environmental barriers when prescribing MATD. Additional areas of interest for future research may include investigating the impact of MATD in association with date of onset of disability, according to diagnoses, or specific to length of time since acquiring the device.

  20. Mobility in pictures: a participatory photovoice narrative study exploring powered mobility provision for children and families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldner, Heather A; Logan, Samuel W; Galloway, James C

    2018-03-09

    Rehabilitation professionals are increasingly recognizing mobility as a basic human right and endorsing the efficacy of early powered mobility for children with mobility impairments to foster independence, promote socialization with peers and facilitate participation in family and community life. However, the relationship between mobility and technology provision, when considered in the context of lived experiences of children with mobility impairments and their families, is complex and understudied. Perceptions of these experiences from children's own points of view are especially limited, as is the use of participatory research methods in describing these experiences. The purpose of this study was to empower children and families as co-researchers, investigating their experiences and perspectives of powered mobility provision processes and early use of their mobility technology in their own words and images.  Methods: Two families in a major Midwest metropolitan area- one who was receiving a powered wheelchair and one who was receiving a modified powered ride-on toy car- participated as co-researchers from 2015-2016, documenting their experiences with a research camera and narrating their photos to describe meaningful or important aspects of their respective powered mobility provision processes and early use of their devices. Four themes emerged: (1) Dys/Function of Mobility Technology; (2) Daily Life, Play and Participation; (3) Emerging Self/Advocacy and (4) Complex Family/Industry Interplay.  Conclusions: These themes and experiences may inform further innovation in powered mobility practices, generate new hypotheses about the role of technology in shaping disability identity and demonstrate the feasibility and impact of using participatory methods more broadly in rehabilitation research. Implications for Rehabilitation Participatory methods may be a useful and underutilized research tool in describing the impact of powered mobility provision processes on

  1. Waging a Living: Career Development and Long-Term Employment Outcomes for Young Adults with Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindstrom, Lauren; Doren, Bonnie; Miesch, Jennifer

    2011-01-01

    Youth with disabilities face many barriers in making the transition from high school to stable long-term employment. Researchers used case study methodology to examine the career development process and postschool employment outcomes for a sample of individuals with disabilities who were working in living wage occupations 7 to 10 years after…

  2. Inclusive Education: Mobile Serious Games for People with Cognitive Disabilities

    OpenAIRE

    Angel Jaramillo-Alcázar; Sergio Luján-Mora; Luis Salvador-Ullauri

    2018-01-01

    Nowadays, the use of mobile devices is increasingly frequent. In many occasions they are used as a means of entertainment for people through video games. Serious games is a category of video games used as teaching methods in different environments. They use fun as a strategy for the learning process. However, the vast majority do not focus on vulnerable groups such as people with cognitive disabilities, because they do not consider accessibility parameters in their design. Some video games de...

  3. Asperger syndrome and the supposed obligation not to bring disabled lives into the world.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Pat

    2010-09-01

    Asperger syndrome (AS) is an autistic spectrum condition that shares the range of social impairments associated with classic autism widely regarded as disabling, while also often giving rise to high levels of ability in areas such as maths, science, engineering and music. The nature of this striking duality of disability and ability is examined, along with its implications for our thinking about disability and the relevance of levels and kinds of disability to reproductive choices. In particular, it may be seen as posing a challenge to John Harris's influential position in reproductive ethics relating to disability. The paper argues that if, as Harris maintains, there is a quite general moral obligation to avoid bringing disabled lives into the world regardless of the level of disability, then AS must be seen as having a strong claim to be exempt from such an obligation. However, a broader critique of Harris's position leads to the conclusion that, in fact, this putative obligation does not exist.

  4. Using intersectionality to explore experiences of disability and HIV among women and men in Zambia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Karen; Hanass-Hancock, Jill; Nixon, Stephanie; Bond, Virginia

    2014-01-01

    Little is known about the experiences of people with disabilities (PWD) who live with HIV. Existing research largely assumes a "double burden" approach, which views HIV as doubling the load for people already burdened by disability. Intersectionality (a dynamic process of converging systems of relationships) offers an alternative approach for understanding differences in experience. This study uses an intersectional approach to explore the experiences of PWD in Zambia who have become HIV-positive. We conducted semi-structured, in depth interviews with 21 PWD who live with HIV in Zambia (12 women, 9 men). Participants had various impairments (visual, hearing, mobility, intellectual). Interviews were conducted to meet participants' accessibility preferences. Our intersectional analysis demonstrates the dynamic and situational emergent meanings and consequences for PWD who are living with HIV related to: (1) meanings of HIV and disability linked with time and trajectory; (2) oppression and negotiation related to accessing health services and (3) social roles and relationships. Three case studies illustrate these circumstances. Intersectionality offers a complementary approach for examining the complex interrelationship among HIV, disability, gender and time among PWD living with HIV. Findings illustrate directions for improved services and policies for this important group. Rehabilitation services need to take a cross-disability (multiple disabilities) approach working with people living with HIV and disability. Rehabilitation, as illustrated by a CBR approach, needs to include services that will facilitate not only health, but education, jobs and housing for people living with HIV and disability. Rehabilitation needs to make more direct connections with Zambia social service sector to help address the fluctuating experience of living with HIV and disability.

  5. Communicative Competence as a Professional Mobility Factor of Teachers Supporting for Disabled People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dziuba E.M.

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The paper discribes experience in the implementation of a new educational module “Philosophical and Socio-legal Bases of Supporting for Disabled People” developed by a professional team of Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical Minin University. Forming the communicative competency of disabled people supporting specialist is one of the main tasks of the module. Program developers believe that the structure and content of the educational subjects and practical training programs enables graduates to be prepared for variative communication forms providing educational, social, and cultural support of disable people as well as in the professional field as a whole. The ability of the graduate to communicate efficiently and effectively is required for professional mobility in teaching and non-teaching areas; so this module is a multi-purpose educational development.

  6. A community living management program for people with disabilities who have moved out of nursing homes: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Danbi; Hammel, Joy; Wilson, Tom

    2015-06-23

    This study describes implementation and evaluation of the Stepping Stones program, a community living management program designed to assist people with disabilities to gain community living skills after moving out of nursing homes. Thirteen people with diverse disabilities participated in the 10-week Stepping Stones program. The participants attended two sessions a day every week, over a 5-week period. Interviewer-administered surveys were used at baseline and 1 week post-intervention to evaluate the impact of the program. Focus group interviews were conducted at 1 week post-intervention. Analyses of quantitative data demonstrated improved self-efficacy in community living management skills, with medium-to-high effect sizes. Participants reported improved sense of empowerment and confidence in finding resources and managing community living. They also reported high satisfaction with the program. Preliminary findings suggest that the Stepping Stones program is beneficial to the target group. The study indicates that application of social learning and self-efficacy theories is effective to empower and enable people with disabilities to manage their lives in the community. The Stepping Stones program may be provided as a risk management intervention after individuals' transition into the community. Implications for Rehabilitation Long-term institutionalization negatively influences people with disabilities' self-esteem, autonomy and ability to independently live in the community. Successful community living requires complex management involving the coordination of personal, social, resource and environmental factors. This study shows that programming on choice and control and community living skill development improved participants' confidence in managing community living.

  7. Evaluation of An Activities of Daily Living Scale for Adolescents and Adults with Developmental Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maenner, Matthew J; Smith, Leann E; Hong, Jinkuk; Makuch, Renee; Greenberg, Jan S; Mailick, Marsha R

    2012-01-01

    Background Activity limitations are an important and useful dimension of disability, but there are few validated measures of activity limitations for adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. Objective/Hypothesis To describe the development of the Waisman Activities of Daily Living (W-ADL) Scale for adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities, and systematically evaluate its measurement properties according to an established set of criteria. Methods The W-ADL was administered among four longitudinally-studied groups of adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities: 406 with autism; 147 with fragile-X syndrome; 169 with Down syndrome, and 292 with intellectual disability of other or unknown origin. The W-ADL contains 17 activities and each is rated on a 3-point scale (0=“does not do at all”, 1=“does with help”, 2=“independent”), and a standard set of criteria were used to evaluate its measurement properties. Results Across the disability groups, Cronbach’s alphas ranged from 0.88 to 0.94, and a single-factor structure was most parsimonious. The W-ADL was reliable over time, with weighted kappas between 0.92 and 0.93. Criterion and construct validity were supported through substantial associations with the Vineland Screener, need for respite services, caregiving burden, and competitive employment. No floor or ceiling effects were present. There were significant group differences in W-ADL scores by maternally-reported level of intellectual disability (mild, moderate, severe, profound). Conclusions The W-ADL exceeded the recommended threshold for each quality criterion the authors evaluated. This freely-available tool is an efficient measure of activities of daily living for surveys and epidemiological research concerning adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. PMID:23260606

  8. Disability and service use among homeless people living with psychotic disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrman, Helen; Evert, Helen; Harvey, Carol; Gureje, Oye; Pinzone, Tony; Gordon, Ian

    2004-01-01

    The prevalence of psychosis and needs for care among homeless people were studied in inner Melbourne. This was a two-stage nested study within the Australian National Survey of People Living with Psychotic Illness. A screen for psychosis was administered to a representative sample of men and women living in marginal housing in a mental health service catchment area. A selected subsample of 82 screen-positive respondents was interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview for Psychosis (DIP), a semistructured, standardized interview with three modules: (i) demography, functioning and quality of life; (ii) diagnosis; and (iii) service use. An unexpectedly high prevalence of people living with psychotic disorders (estimated lifetime prevalence 42%, 95% CI=37-47%) may reflect a concentration of vulnerable people in the shrinking marginal housing supply in the inner city areas. Disability in everyday, occupational and social functioning is greater for this subgroup than for other people living with psychosis in Australia. Most people were single and unemployed, and many reported social isolation and feeling unsafe. Substance use disorders were common. Most people were using health services, including specialist mental health services, but few were receiving rehabilitation, vocational or housing support. Despite high levels of contact with a well-organized, sectorized mental health service in an affluent country, this pocket of several hundred people had high levels of persisting disability and needs. The literature and local experience suggest that changing this situation is likely to require co-ordinated policy and practice between the health, welfare and housing sectors.

  9. The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina on persons with disabilities and independent living center staff living on the American Gulf Coast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Michael H; White, Glen W; Rooney, Catherine; Cahill, Anthony

    2010-08-01

    To determine the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the psychosocial health of people with disabilities and on the ability of people with disabilities in the affected area to live independently. Transcribed conversations were analyzed for 56 survivors of Hurricane Katrina on the American Gulf Coast, all of whom were persons with disabilities or persons working with them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted either individually or in focus groups with participants. Qualitative analysis was undertaken using hermeneutic techniques. Six major themes emerged: faith, incredulousness, blaming others or oneself, family adaptation and resiliency, and work and professional responsibility. The resiliency of persons with disabilities to adapt to disasters can be better understood through factors such as these, providing an effective barometer of social capital that can help societies prepare for future disasters among those most vulnerable.

  10. Collaborative Evaluation of the Healthy Habits Program: An Effective Community Intervention to Improve Mobility and Cognition of Chinese Older Adults Living in the U.S.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hau, C; Reid, K F; Wong, K F; Chin, R J; Botto, T J; Eliasziw, M; Bermudez, O I; Fielding, R A

    2016-04-01

    There is a growing demand to reduce ethnic health disparities. The Healthy Habits Program (HHP) was implemented to provide a community-based physical activity and education intervention for Chinese older adults living in Boston, Massachusetts. This study evaluated the HHP by assessing outcomes that are critical for maintaining independence of older persons. Quantitative evaluation was performed on 50 Chinese older adults enrolled in the HHP. The community members were trained in data collection and management. Cognition (Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test and Complex Walking Task), mobility (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and maximal gait speed), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), perceived disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment 2.0), nutritional status (Mini Nutrition Assessment®), and strength (grip and leg strength) were assessed at baseline and at 6 months. All tests were translated into Chinese. Of the 50 participants (mean age 68.4 years; 68% female), 78% achieved the goal of performing exercise ≥3 times/week. After 6 months, clinically meaningful improvements were observed in mobility (mean SPPB score changed from 10.3 to 11.1 points; p=0.01) and cognition (mean MMSE score changed from 26.0 to 27.8 points; p=0.001). There were also statistically significant improvements in executive function, depressive symptoms and perceived disability (p<0.05). Culturally sensitive community interventions, such as the HHP, are effective for improving mobility and cognition of Chinese older adults. This reveals the potential of promoting successful aging in minority populations through community settings, and should be advocated to reduce ethnic health disparities in the U.S.

  11. Disability Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... About CDC.gov . Disability & Health Home Disability Overview Disability Inclusion Barriers to Inclusion Inclusion Strategies Inclusion in Programs & Activities Resources Healthy Living Disability & Physical Activity Disability & Obesity Disability & Smoking Disability & Breast ...

  12. Managing Weight: What Do People with an Intellectual Disability Want from Mobile Technology?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smyth, Phil; McDowell, Claire; Leslie, Julian C; Leader, Geraldine; Donnelly, Mark; Simpson, Elizabeth; Skelly, Laura

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is a significant health challenge. People with Intellectual Disability (ID) are particularly vulnerable to developing obesity. Mobile technology has been developed to support the management of weight and obesity in the form of apps, although not with people with an ID in mind. As a result existing off-the-shelf weight management apps currently available may not be functional in supporting weight reduction within this population. This paper presents the results of consultations with people with ID regarding weight management, comfort with mobile technology and desired characteristics in apps designed for people with ID that target weight management.

  13. A Technology-Aided Program to Support Basic Occupational Engagement and Mobility in Persons with Multiple Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giulio E. Lancioni

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundPersons with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities tend to be passive and sedentary. Promoting their occupational engagement and mobility (i.e., indoor walking can help to modify their condition and improve their environmental input, health, and social image.AimThis study assessed whether a technology-aided program was suitable to (a support independent occupation and mobility in eight participants with intellectual and sensory disabilities and (b eventually increase the participants’ heart rates to levels considered beneficial for them.MethodThe program, which involved a computer system regulating the presentation of auditory or visual cues and the delivery of preferred stimulation, was introduced according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. The auditory or visual cues guided the participants to collect objects from different desks and to transport them to a final destination (i.e., depositing them into a carton. Preferred stimulation was available to the participants for collecting and for depositing the objects.ResultsDuring the program, all participants had an increase in their independent responses of collecting objects and transporting them to the final destination. Their heart rates also increased to levels reflecting moderate-intensity physical exercise, potentially beneficial for their health.ConclusionA program, such as that used in this study, can promote occupational engagement and mobility in persons with multiple disabilities.

  14. Geo-social and health disparities among persons with disabilities living in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and Dallas, Texas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolova, Silviya P; Small, Eusebius; Campillo, Claudia

    2015-07-01

    In low and high income countries alike, disability exacerbates social, economic, and health disparities, in spite of their differences. This study seeks to identify factors that predict the circumstances people with disabilities face, including poverty. A cross-sectional study design was employed using census track level data for the cities of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, and Dallas, Texas, from Mexico 2010 and USA 2000 census data collections. Two methods, spatial autocorrelation and geographically weighted regression were used to identify spatial patterns of disability and to explore the relation between disability and context-specific socio-demographic factors. Results indicated that people with disabilities living below the poverty line experience high segregation levels in the semi-central zones of Dallas. In Monterrey, people with disabilities clustered in central areas of the city. A Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) from both data analyses reported high goodness of fit (R ≥ 0.8 for Dallas data and R ≥ 0.7 for Monterrey data, respectively) and predictability of disability prevalence when social disadvantage factors such as unemployment, housing insecurity, household living conditions, and lack of education were present. The divergent and sometimes conflicting trends in practices and policies addressing disability in low and high income environments renders a reexamination of the framework of disability. An understanding of local characteristics joins a grounded socio-cultural understanding of the various contexts that shape location-based social networks and political decisions in providing such an analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Using a body-fixed sensor to identify subclinical gait difficulties in older adults with IADL disability: maximizing the output of the timed up and go.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aner Weiss

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The identification and documentation of subclinical gait impairments in older adults may facilitate the appropriate use of interventions for preventing or delaying mobility disability. We tested whether measures derived from a single body-fixed sensor worn during traditional Timed Up and Go (TUG testing could identify subclinical gait impairments in community dwelling older adults without mobility disability. METHODS: We used data from 432 older adults without dementia (mean age 83.30 ± 7.04 yrs, 76.62% female participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project. The traditional TUG was conducted while subjects wore a body-fixed sensor. We derived measures of overall TUG performance and different subtasks including transitions (sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit, walking, and turning. Multivariate analysis was used to compare persons with and without mobility disability and to compare individuals with and without Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disability (IADL-disability, all of whom did not have mobility disability. RESULTS: As expected, individuals with mobility disability performed worse on all TUG subtasks (p<0.03, compared to those who had no mobility disability. Individuals without mobility disability but with IADL disability had difficulties with turns, had lower yaw amplitude (p<0.004 during turns, were slower (p<0.001, and had less consistent gait (p<0.02. CONCLUSIONS: A single body-worn sensor can be employed in the community-setting to complement conventional gait testing. It provides a wide range of quantitative gait measures that appear to help to identify subclinical gait impairments in older adults.

  16. Meeting the home-care needs of disabled older persons living in the community: does integrated services delivery make a difference?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raîche Michel

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The PRISMA Model is an innovative coordination-type integrated-service-delivery (ISD network designed to manage and better match resources to the complex and evolving needs of elders. The goal of this study was to examine the impact of this ISD network on unmet needs among disabled older persons living in the community. Methods Using data from the PRISMA study, we compared unmet needs of elders living in the community in areas with or without an ISD network. Disabilities and unmet needs were assessed with the Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF. We used growth-curve analysis to examine changes in unmet needs over time and the variables associated with initial status and change. Sociodemographic characteristics, level of disability, self-perceived health status, cognitive functioning, level of empowerment, and the hours of care received were investigated as covariates. Lastly, we report the prevalence of needs and unmet needs for 29 activities in both areas at the end of the study. Results On average, participants were 83 years old; 62% were women. They had a moderate level of disability and mild cognitive problems. On average, they received 2.07 hours/day (SD = 1.08 of disability-related care, mostly provided by family. The findings from growth-curve analysis suggest that elders living in the area where ISD was implemented and those with higher levels of disability experience better fulfillment of their needs over time. Besides the area, being a woman, living alone, having a higher level of disability, more cognitive impairments, and a lower level of empowerment were linked to initial unmet needs (r2 = 0.25; p Conclusions In spite of more than 30 years of home-care services in the province of Quebec, disabled older adults living in the community still have unmet needs. ISD networks such as the PRISMA Model, however, appear to offer an effective response to the long-term-care needs of the elderly.

  17. Delaying mobility disability in people with Parkinson disease using a sensorimotor agility exercise program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Laurie A; Horak, Fay B

    2009-04-01

    This article introduces a new framework for therapists to develop an exercise program to delay mobility disability in people with Parkinson disease (PD). Mobility, or the ability to efficiently navigate and function in a variety of environments, requires balance, agility, and flexibility, all of which are affected by PD. This article summarizes recent research identifying how constraints on mobility specific to PD, such as rigidity, bradykinesia, freezing, poor sensory integration, inflexible program selection, and impaired cognitive processing, limit mobility in people with PD. Based on these constraints, a conceptual framework for exercises to maintain and improve mobility is presented. An example of a constraint-focused agility exercise program, incorporating movement principles from tai chi, kayaking, boxing, lunges, agility training, and Pilates exercises, is presented. This new constraint-focused agility exercise program is based on a strong scientific framework and includes progressive levels of sensorimotor, resistance, and coordination challenges that can be customized for each patient while maintaining fidelity. Principles for improving mobility presented here can be incorporated into an ongoing or long-term exercise program for people with PD.

  18. Fear of falling as a risk factor of mobility disability in older people at five diverse sites of the IMIAS study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auais, Mohammad; Alvarado, Beatriz E; Curcio, Carmen-Lucia; Garcia, Angeles; Ylli, Alban; Deshpande, Nandini

    2016-01-01

    Fear of falling (FoF) is a common health problem among older adults. Although the relationship between FoF and limitation in daily activities has been reported, FoF's relationship to mobility disability, a transitional phase to end-stage disability, is not yet understood. We examined the relationship between FoF and mobility disability among community-dwelling older adults and explored the differences in this relationship among socio-culturally diverse sites. Cross-sectional study. Community. 1875 participants (65-74 years) were recruited from five sites and included in the analysis (Kingston, Canada: 394; St-Hyacinthe, Canada: 397; Tirana, Albania: 359; Manizales, Colombia: 341; and Natal, Brazil: 384). FoF was quantified using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I, range: 16-64). Mobility disability was defined as difficulty climbing a flight of stairs or walking 400m without assistance. Overall, 21.5% of participants reported high FoF (FES-I>27). The average FoF scores were significantly different between the sites (pfive study sites (ranged from 19.8% at Kingston, Canada to 50.7% at Tirana, Albania, pfive sites. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Functional Technology for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Meta-Analysis of Mobile Device-Based Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jemma; Kimm, Christina H.

    2017-01-01

    This study employs a meta-analysis of single-subject design research to investigate the efficacy of mobile device-based interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and to further examine possible variables that may moderate the intervention outcomes. A total of 23 studies, 78 participants, and 140 observed cases that met the…

  20. The combined effect of visual impairment and cognitive impairment on disability in older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitson, Heather E; Cousins, Scott W; Burchett, Bruce M; Hybels, Celia F; Pieper, Carl F; Cohen, Harvey J

    2007-06-01

    To determine the risk of disability in individuals with coexisting visual and cognitive impairment and to compare the magnitude of risk associated with visual impairment, cognitive impairment, or the multimorbidity. Prospective cohort. North Carolina. Three thousand eight hundred seventy-eight participants in the North Carolina Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly with nonmissing visual status, cognitive status, and disability status data at baseline Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (cognitive impairment defined as > or =4 errors), self reported visual acuity (visual impairment defined as inability to see well enough to recognize a friend across the street or to read newspaper print), demographic and health-related variables, disability status (activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), mobility), death, and time to nursing home placement. Participants with coexisting visual and cognitive impairment were at greater risk of IADL disability (odds ratio (OR)=6.50, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.34-9.75), mobility disability (OR=4.04, 95% CI=2.49-6.54), ADL disability (OR=2.84, 95% CI=1.87-4.32), and incident ADL disability (OR=3.66, 95%, CI=2.36-5.65). In each case, the estimated OR associated with the multimorbidity was greater than the estimated OR associated with visual or cognitive impairment alone, a pattern that was not observed for other adverse outcomes assessed. No significant interactions were observed between cognitive impairment and visual impairment as predictors of disability status. Individuals with coexisting visual impairment and cognitive impairment are at high risk of disability, with each condition contributing additively to disability risk. Further study is needed to improve functional trajectories in patients with this prevalent multimorbidity. When visual or cognitive impairment is present, efforts to maximize the other function may be beneficial.

  1. Center Director Bridges visits Disability Awareness and Action working Group Technology Fair

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Center Director Roy Bridges (standing, center) poses with members of the Disability Awareness and Action Working Group (DAAWG), which is holding the 1999 Technology Fair Oct. 20-21 at Kennedy Space Center. The Fair is highlighting vendors demonstrating mobility, hearing, vision and silent disability assistive technology. The purpose is to create an awareness of the types of technology currently available to assist people with various disabilities in the workplace. The theme is that of this year's National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 'Opening Doors to Ability.' Some of the vendors participating are Canine Companions for Independence, Goodwill Industries, Accessible Structures, Division of Blind Services, Space Coast Center for Independent Living, KSC Fitness Center and Delaware North Parks Services.

  2. Understanding and Reducing Disability in Older Adults Following Critical Illness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brummel, N.E.; Balas, M.C.; Morandi, A.; Ferrante, L.E.; Gill, T.M.; Ely, E.W.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To review how disability can develop in older adults with critical illness and to explore ways to reduce long-term disability following critical illness. Data Sources Review of the literature describing post-critical illness disability in older adults and expert opinion. Results We identified 19 studies evaluating disability outcomes in critically ill patients age 65 years and older. Newly acquired disability in activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living and mobility activities was commonplace among older adults who survived a critical illness. Incident dementia and less-severe cognitive impairment was also highly prevalent. Factors related to the acute critical illness, intensive care unit practices such as heavy sedation, physical restraints and immobility as well as aging physiology and coexisting geriatric conditions can combine to result in these poor outcomes. Conclusion Older adults who survive critical illness suffer physical and cognitive declines resulting in disability at greater rates than hospitalized, non-critically ill and community dwelling older adults. Interventions derived from widely available geriatric care models in use outside of the ICU, which address modifiable risk factors including immobility and delirium, are associated with improved functional and cognitive outcomes and can be used to complement ICU-focused models such as the ABCDEs. PMID:25756418

  3. Intuitive adaptive orientation control of assistive robots for people living with upper limb disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, Dinh-Son; Allard, Ulysse Cote; Gosselin, Clement; Routhier, Francois; Gosselin, Benoit; Campeau-Lecours, Alexandre

    2017-07-01

    Robotic assistive devices enhance the autonomy of individuals living with physical disabilities in their day-to-day life. Although the first priority for such devices is safety, they must also be intuitive and efficient from an engineering point of view in order to be adopted by a broad range of users. This is especially true for assistive robotic arms, as they are used for the complex control tasks of daily living. One challenge in the control of such assistive robots is the management of the end-effector orientation which is not always intuitive for the human operator, especially for neophytes. This paper presents a novel orientation control algorithm designed for robotic arms in the context of human-robot interaction. This work aims at making the control of the robot's orientation easier and more intuitive for the user, in particular, individuals living with upper limb disabilities. The performance and intuitiveness of the proposed orientation control algorithm is assessed through two experiments with 25 able-bodied subjects and shown to significantly improve on both aspects.

  4. Combating Prejudice in the Workplace with Contact Theory: The Lived Experiences of Professionals with Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul David Harpur

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available People with disabilities often confront barriers in exercising their right to work.  Social model scholarship has recognised that attitude is a key factor in the disablement of people with impairments.  This study reports on 28 semi-structured interviews with professionals with disabilities.  Drawing from their lived experiences and roles in the disability rights movement, the professionals with disabilities interviewed in this study provide unique perspectives on the instances of attitudinal discrimination.  The interviewees discuss the tactics they employ to reduce the negative impact of erroneous stereotypes and the successes of such tactics.  Many of the tactics employed by interviewees reflect strategies discussed in contact theory scholarship.  This study focuses upon contact theory and considers the similarities between this theory and the interventions of interviewees.  Through positing interviewees' tactics in the literature this study is able to analyse possible positive and negative consequences of such interventions.    Keywords: Contact theory, right to work, professionals with disabilities

  5. Caregivers' reported functional limitations in activities of daily living among middle-aged adults with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Lan-Ping; Hsia, Yi-Chen; Hsu, Shang-Wei; Loh, Ching-Hui; Wu, Chia-Ling; Lin, Jin-Ding

    2013-12-01

    This study was conducted to describe the functioning of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and to examine socio-economic effects on ADL functioning among adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) aged 45 years and older (N=480) in Taiwan. The Barthel Index (BI) was used to determine a baseline level of ADL functioning in the study participants. There are five categories of functional impairment using the following cut-off values in Taiwan: total dependence (BI score 0-20), severe (BI score 21-60), moderate (BI score 61-90), mild (BI score 91-99), and total independence (BI score 100) (Taiwan Department of Health, 2012). The results revealed that 2.3% of adults with ID were in total dependence, 11.9% were in severe dependence, 27.9% were in moderate dependence, 8.1% had a mild dependence, and 49.8% were totally independent. In the multiple linear regression model of the ADL score, we determined that educational level, comorbid Down's syndrome, and disability level are the variables able to significantly predict ADL score (R(2)=0.190) after controlling for the factors of age, marital status, and other comorbidity conditions. Those ID adults with a lower education level (primary vs. literate, β=4.780, p=0.031; intermediate vs. literate, β=6.642, p=0.030), with comorbid Down's syndrome (β=-7.135, p=0.063), and with a more severe disability condition (severe vs. mild, β=-7.650, p=0.007; profound vs. mild, β=-19.169, p<0.001) had significantly lower ADL scores. The present study highlights the need to support mobility in older adults with ID as much as possible to optimize independence in this group. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Avoiding Institutional Outcomes for Older Adults Living with Disability: The Use of Community-Based Aged Care Supports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellison, Caroline; White, Amy; Chapman, Libby

    2011-01-01

    Background: Most people with a disability want to remain living in their own home as they age. Without additional support, people with a disability may not be able to avoid moving into residential aged care, attending day programs, or becoming isolated from participation in the wider community. This study examined whether participants perceived…

  7. Disability and Obesity

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... About CDC.gov . Disability & Health Home Disability Overview Disability Inclusion Barriers to Inclusion Inclusion Strategies Inclusion in Programs & Activities Resources Healthy Living Disability & Physical Activity Disability & Obesity Disability & Smoking Disability & Breast ...

  8. Final priorities; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers. Final priorities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-11

    The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces priorities under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Specifically, we announce priorities for a Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Rehabilitation Strategies, Techniques, and Interventions (Priority 1), Information and Communication Technologies Access (Priority 2), Individual Mobility and Manipulation (Priority 3), and Physical Access and Transportation (Priority 4). The Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013 and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend these priorities to improve community living and participation, health and function, and employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities.

  9. Impact, distress and HRQoL among Malaysian men and women with a mobility impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misajon, RoseAnne; Manderson, Lenore; Pallant, Julie F; Omar, Zaliha; Bennett, Elizabeth; Rahim, Rameezan Begam Abdul

    2006-12-12

    Although non-communicable and chronic disease now accounts for 47% of the global burden of disease, little is known of the everyday experiences and social aspects of disability and disablement in middle and low income countries. This article aims to address this gap by exploring the subjective experience of mobility impairment in Malaysia. Specifically, it examines health-related quality of life and the impact and distress related to impaired mobility, and investigates any gender differences in relation to the experience of disability. The data were collected as part of an interdisciplinary, multi-country study known as RESILIENCE (Research into Social Inclusion, Locomotive Impairment and Empowerment through Networking, Collaboration and Education). Cluster sampling was used to administer the EQ-5D and the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP) to 210 adults from Selangor state, west coast Peninsular Malaysia. The participants consisted of 94 males and 116 females, aged between 18-90 years (mean 60 years), with the majority being Malay. The majority of participants were also married, from rural areas and had primary education only. Very few participants lived alone. In addition, males were more likely to attribute their impaired mobility to an accident. The majority of participants with mobility impairment experienced a moderate to high level of pain/discomfort (79%) and anxiety/depression (72%), and at least some problems with performing usual activities (71%), as measured by the EQ-5D. In addition, using the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP), participants also reported high levels of impact and distress related to participation in community life. In general, males reported higher impact and distress across several items, most significantly in regard to participation in community activities, moving around the neighbourhood, ability to live independently, and ability to assist their family members. This paper provides preliminary data regarding the

  10. Impact, distress and HRQoL among Malaysian men and women with a mobility impairment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omar Zaliha

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although non-communicable and chronic disease now accounts for 47% of the global burden of disease, little is known of the everyday experiences and social aspects of disability and disablement in middle and low income countries. This article aims to address this gap by exploring the subjective experience of mobility impairment in Malaysia. Specifically, it examines health-related quality of life and the impact and distress related to impaired mobility, and investigates any gender differences in relation to the experience of disability. Methods The data were collected as part of an interdisciplinary, multi-country study known as RESILIENCE (Research into Social Inclusion, Locomotive Impairment and Empowerment through Networking, Collaboration and Education. Cluster sampling was used to administer the EQ-5D and the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP to 210 adults from Selangor state, west coast Peninsular Malaysia. Results The participants consisted of 94 males and 116 females, aged between 18–90 years (mean 60 years, with the majority being Malay. The majority of participants were also married, from rural areas and had primary education only. Very few participants lived alone. In addition, males were more likely to attribute their impaired mobility to an accident. The majority of participants with mobility impairment experienced a moderate to high level of pain/discomfort (79% and anxiety/depression (72%, and at least some problems with performing usual activities (71%, as measured by the EQ-5D. In addition, using the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP, participants also reported high levels of impact and distress related to participation in community life. In general, males reported higher impact and distress across several items, most significantly in regard to participation in community activities, moving around the neighbourhood, ability to live independently, and ability to assist their family members

  11. Impact, distress and HRQoL among Malaysian men and women with a mobility impairment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misajon, RoseAnne; Manderson, Lenore; Pallant, Julie F; Omar, Zaliha; Bennett, Elizabeth; Rahim, Rameezan Begam Abdul

    2006-01-01

    Background Although non-communicable and chronic disease now accounts for 47% of the global burden of disease, little is known of the everyday experiences and social aspects of disability and disablement in middle and low income countries. This article aims to address this gap by exploring the subjective experience of mobility impairment in Malaysia. Specifically, it examines health-related quality of life and the impact and distress related to impaired mobility, and investigates any gender differences in relation to the experience of disability. Methods The data were collected as part of an interdisciplinary, multi-country study known as RESILIENCE (Research into Social Inclusion, Locomotive Impairment and Empowerment through Networking, Collaboration and Education). Cluster sampling was used to administer the EQ-5D and the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP) to 210 adults from Selangor state, west coast Peninsular Malaysia. Results The participants consisted of 94 males and 116 females, aged between 18–90 years (mean 60 years), with the majority being Malay. The majority of participants were also married, from rural areas and had primary education only. Very few participants lived alone. In addition, males were more likely to attribute their impaired mobility to an accident. The majority of participants with mobility impairment experienced a moderate to high level of pain/discomfort (79%) and anxiety/depression (72%), and at least some problems with performing usual activities (71%), as measured by the EQ-5D. In addition, using the Perceived Impact of Problems Profile (PIPP), participants also reported high levels of impact and distress related to participation in community life. In general, males reported higher impact and distress across several items, most significantly in regard to participation in community activities, moving around the neighbourhood, ability to live independently, and ability to assist their family members. Conclusion This paper

  12. Barriers and Facilitators to Community Mobility for Assistive Technology Users

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natasha Layton

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Mobility is frequently described in terms of individual body function and structures however contemporary views of disability also recognise the role of environment in creating disability. Aim. To identify consumer perspectives regarding barriers and facilitators to optimal mobility for a heterogeneous population of impaired Victorians who use assistive technology in their daily lives. Method. An accessible survey investigated the impact of supports or facilitators upon actual and desired life outcomes and health-related quality of life, from 100 AT users in Victoria, Australia. This paper reports upon data pertaining to community mobility. Results. A range of barriers and enablers to community mobility were identified including access to AT devices, environmental interventions, public transport, and inclusive community environs. Substantial levels of unmet need result in limited personal mobility and community participation. Outcomes fall short of many principles enshrined in current policy and human rights frameworks. Conclusion. AT devices as well as accessible and inclusive home and community environs are essential to maximizing mobility for many. Given the impact of the environment upon the capacity of individuals to realise community mobility, this raises the question as to whether rehabilitation practitioners, as well as prescribing AT devices, should work to build accessible communities via systemic advocacy.

  13. Lived Experiences of Secondary Instrumental Music Teachers Who Teach Students with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinciguerra, Salvatore

    2016-01-01

    Very little research is published on teaching music to students with learning disabilities. Nevertheless, federal law mandates that instruction of such students take place in all public schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experiences of four secondary instrumental music teachers who teach five students with learning…

  14. Exploring Socio-Demographics, Mobility, and Living Arrangement as Risk Factors for Academic Performance among Children Experiencing Homelessness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howland, Allison; Chen, Li-Ting; Chen, Ming-E; Min, Mina

    2017-01-01

    Homeless children usually experience high mobility. Yet, it is not clear if the degree of mobility among homeless children is associated with their academic performance. Furthermore, an emerging body of literature is beginning to examine the impact of specific living arrangements (e.g., living with families or friends) on homeless family and child…

  15. Perspectives of a mobile application for people with communication disabilities in the community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crook, Alice; Kenny, Julie; Johnson, Hilary; Davidson, Bronwyn

    2017-02-01

    Purpose To determine the perceptions of people with complex communication needs (CCN) and business staff regarding the uses and functionality of a mobile application to aid communication access. Method A qualitative study using thematic analysis of transcripts and field notes from focus groups and interviews of 19 people with CCN and nine business staff. Results Four themes and 10 subthemes were drawn from the data. Themes highlighted the desire for: increased communication strategies to support customer interactions, increased access to information, functionality of a mobile application to increase its utility, and preferred technical and visual features of mobile applications. Conclusion People with CCN and business staff perceived a mobile application as a useful tool to aid communication access. This research highlighted the importance of facilitating strategies to communicative interactions and information in the community as the fundamental goal of a mobile application developed to support communication access. Implications for Rehabilitation Mobile applications are widely accepted and used in modern customer service industries and have been identified as tools to increase communication access for people with complex communication needs (CCN). People with CCN identified accessibility, presentation, and customisation as important features of mobile applications for communication access. The diversity of user preferences and needs, and the rapid development of new technologies limit the applicability of a single design for mobile applications for people with CCN. People with CCN should be involved in application design and development. A mobile application for communication access would support customer-business interactions as well as enable more accessible information sharing about disability needs and services.

  16. Experiences of mobility for people living with rheumatoid arthritis who are receiving biologic drug therapy: implications for podiatry services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, Lucy; Donovan-Hall, Margaret; Borthwick, Alan; Bowen, Catherine J

    2017-01-01

    Despite significant advancements in new treatment modalities for rheumatoid arthritis with biological therapies, foot complications remain a disabling and common feature of the disease . In this study the aim was to explore and describe the personal experiences of people with rheumatoid arthritis in receipt of biologic treatments in a bid to understand the impact of this form of medication on their mobility. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was undertaken to explore in depth the individual experience of rheumatoid disease through personal accounts of the patient journey spanning both 'before' and 'after' the instigation of biologic therapy. A purposive sampling strategy was adopted and in-depth semi structured interviews used to facilitate rich, detailed interview data exploring the lived experiences of individuals undertaking biological therapy and the changes to mobility experienced as a result. Thematic analysis was employed with an IPA framework to identify key meanings, and report patterns within the data. Five people with rheumatoid arthritis participated in the study. The mean disease duration was 20.2 years (range: 6 -32) and all were being treated with biologic therapies. Four key themes emerged from the data: 1) Life before biologic treatment, depicted in accounts as a negative experience characterised by painful and disabling symptoms and feelings of hopelessness. 2) Life with biologic treatment, often experienced as a life changing transition, restoring function and mobility and offering renewed hope. 3) Sense of self, in which the impact of rheumatoid disease and the subsequent changes arising from biologic therapy reveal a profound impact on feelings of personal identity both pre and post biologic therapy; an effect of footwear on self-image emerges as a dominant sub theme; 4) Unmet footcare needs were evident in the patient narrative, where the unrelenting if diminished impact of foot pain on mobility was viewed in the context of

  17. Formal and informal care for disabled elderly living in the community: an appraisal of French care composition and costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paraponaris, Alain; Davin, Bérengère; Verger, Pierre

    2012-06-01

    Choices between formal and informal care for disabled elderly people living at home are a key component of the long-term care provision issues faced by an ageing population. This paper aims to identify factors associated with the type of care (informal, formal, mixed or no care at all) received by the French disabled elderly and to assess the care's relative costs. This paper uses data from a French survey on disability; the 3,500 respondents of interest lived at home, were aged 60 and over, had severe disability and needed help with activities of daily living. We use a multinomial probit model to determine factors associated with type of care. We also assess the cost of care with the help of the proxy good method. One-third of disabled elderly people receive no care. Among those who are helped, 55% receive informal, 25% formal, and 20% mixed care. Low socioeconomic status increases difficulties in accessing formal care. The estimated economic value of informal care is 6.6 billion euro [95% CI = 5.9-7.2] and represents about two-thirds of the total cost of care. Public policies should pay more attention to inequalities in access to community care. They also should better support informal care, through respite care or workplace accommodations (working hours rescheduling or reduction for instance) not detrimental for the career of working caregivers.

  18. Designing mobile learning for children and teenagers living with diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Glasemann, Marie

    2016-01-01

    In this dissertation, I conceptualise the design of mobile learning for children and teenagers living with type-1 diabetes. The investigation was conducted as an iterative and participatory design-based process. The insights and implications for design and contextual understanding arise through...... reflective design and by involving the target group. The research examined design participation with a focus on the involvement of youths and an understanding of the youths’ perceptions on using mobile technology for learning about diabetes. Central to the research was a concrete design case divided...... into four studies, where a summer camp for youths with diabetes functioned as site for creating a hybrid “third space” for investigating design participation. Based on my empirical research, which focused specifically on the design of mobile games for youths aged 10 to 16 years addressing the carbohydrate...

  19. Relations of Early Motor Skills on Age and Socialization, Communication, and Daily Living in Young Children With Developmental Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Megan; Ross, Samantha; McIntyre, Laura Lee; Tepfer, Amanda

    2017-04-01

    Young children with developmental disabilities experience known deficits in salient child behaviors, such as social behaviors, communication, and aspects of daily living, behaviors that generally improve with chronological age. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of motor skills on relations of age and salient child behaviors in a group of young children with developmental disabilities, thus tapping into the potential influences of motor skills in the development of salient child behaviors. One hundred thirteen young children with developmental disabilities participated in this study. Independent mediation analysis, with gender as a moderator between the mediating and outcome variable, indicated that motor skills meditated relations between age and socialization, communication, and daily living skills in young male children with developmental disabilities, but not female participants. Findings suggest motor skill content needs to be considered in combination with other child behaviors commonly focused on in early intervention.

  20. Relationship Between Functional Mobility and Balance and Dependency in Activity of Daily Living in Elderly After “Hip Arthroplasty”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholam Hassan Mirzaie

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate correlation between functional mobility with balance and dependency in activity of daily living in elderly after “hip arthroplasty” (HA and its comparison with healthy subjects. Methods & Materials: The current cross-sectional study was done on 15 patients with age mean and standard deviation (72±9.6 with hip osteoarthritis 6 months after “hip arthroplasty” (HA and 15 healthy subjects with age mean and standard deviation (72.7±1.4 as control group. Patient group was assigned with non- probability convenient sampling and control group selected with matched assignment. Functional mobility measured with Timed Up & Go Test (TUG, functional balance with Functional Reach (FR and Berg Balance Scale (BBS and dependency in activity of daily living measured with Modified Barthel Index (MBI. Pearsons correlation coefficient used for stastistical analysis. Results: Results of this study indicated significantly and stronge correlation between functional mobility and balance and dependency in activity of daily living in patient group (r>0.50. Also medium correlation existed between functional mobility and balance with dependency in activity of daily living in control group (r>0.30. Conclusion: Functional mobility and balance and dependency in activity of daily living in the elderly who had HA showed significant positive correlation. In addition correlation between functional mobility and balance and dependency in activity of daily living in patient group is better and higher than healthy group.

  1. Self-Report Computer-Based Survey of Technology Use by People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanis, Emily Shea; Palmer, Susan; Wehmeyer, Michael; Davies, Daniel K.; Stock, Steven E.; Lobb, Kathy; Bishop, Barbara

    2012-01-01

    Advancements of technologies in the areas of mobility, hearing and vision, communication, and daily living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has the potential to greatly enhance independence and self-determination. Previous research, however, suggests that there is a technological divide with regard to the use of such…

  2. Obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and years lived with disability: A Sullivan life table approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    B. Klijs (Bart); J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); A.E. Kunst (Anton)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractBackground: To avoid strong declines in the quality of life due to population ageing, and to ensure sustainability of the health care system, reductions in the burden of disability among elderly populations are urgently needed. Life style interventions may help to reduce the years lived

  3. Responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steultjens, M.P.M.; Roorda, L.D.; Dekker, J.; Bijlsma, J.W.J.

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To establish the responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Data from 186 patients with hip OA of knee OA were used. Data from 1 observational method and 4 self-report methods for the

  4. Responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steultjens, M. P.; Roorda, L. D.; Dekker, J.; Bijlsma, J. W.

    2001-01-01

    To establish the responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Data from 186 patients with hip OA or knee OA were used. Data from 1 observational method and 4 self-report methods for the assessment of

  5. Studies on deaf mobile application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathan, Shelena Soosay; Hussain, Azham; Hashim, Nor Laily

    2016-08-01

    The deaf normally considered to be disabled that do not need any mobile technology due to the inabilities of hearing and talking. However, many deaf are using mobile phone in their daily life for various purposes such as communication and learning. Many studies have attempted to identify the need of deaf people in mobile application and level of usage of the applications. This study aims in studying the recent research conducted on deaf mobile application to understand the level of importance of mobile technology for this disabled community. This paper enable identification of studies conducted are limited and the need of more research done of this disabled people to ensure their privilege of using mobile technology and its application, which leads to the identification of deaf user requirement for mobile application as future study.

  6. Epidemiology of fractures in people with severe and profound developmental disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glick, N.R.; Fischer, M.H.; Heisey, D.M.; Leverson, G.E.; Mann, D.C.

    2005-01-01

    Fractures are more prevalent among people with severe and profound developmental disabilities than in the general population. In order to characterize the tendency of these people to fracture, and to identify features that may guide the development of preventive strategies, we analyzed fracture epidemiology in people with severe and profound developmental disabilities who lived in a stable environment. Data from a 23-year longitudinal cohort registry of 1434 people with severe and profound developmental disabilities were analyzed to determine the effects of age, gender, mobility, bone fractured, month of fracture, and fracture history upon fracture rates. Eighty-five percent of all fractures involved the extremities. The overall fracture rate increased as mobility increased. In contrast, femoral shaft fracture risk was substantially higher in the least mobile [relative risk (RR), 10.36; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.29-32.66] compared with the most mobile group. Although the overall fracture rate was not associated with age, the femoral shaft fractures decreased but hand/foot fractures increased with age. Overall fracture risk declined in August and September (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.89), being especially prominent for tibial/fibular fractures (RR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.13-0.70). Gender was not a factor in fracture risk. Two primary fracture mechanisms are apparent: one, largely associated with lack of weight-bearing in people with the least mobility, is exemplified by femoral fractures during non-traumatic events as simple as diapering or transfers; the other, probably due to movement- or fall-related trauma, is exemplified by hand/foot fractures in people who ambulate. The fracture experience of people with severe and profound developmental disabilities is unique and, because it differs qualitatively from postmenopausal osteoporosis, may require population-specific methods for assessing risk, for improving bone integrity, and for reduction of falls and accidents

  7. Measuring Physical Activity in Children and Youth Living with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinckson, Erica Aneke; Curtis, Amy

    2013-01-01

    Accurate assessment of physical activity is necessary in determining levels of physical activity in children living with intellectual disability (ID) and assessing effectiveness of intervention programmes. A systematic review of measures of physical activity in children with ID was undertaken using the PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE-PubMed, Scopus,…

  8. Obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and years lived with disability: a Sullivan life table approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klijs, B.; Mackenbach, J.P.; Kunst, A.E.

    2011-01-01

    To avoid strong declines in the quality of life due to population ageing, and to ensure sustainability of the health care system, reductions in the burden of disability among elderly populations are urgently needed. Life style interventions may help to reduce the years lived with one or more

  9. [Chronic disease, mortality and disability in an elderly Spanish population: the FRADEA study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alfonso Silguero, Sergio A; Martínez-Reig, Marta; Gómez Arnedo, Llanos; Juncos Martínez, Gema; Romero Rizos, Luis; Abizanda Soler, Pedro

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to analyse the relationships between the major chronic diseases and multiple morbidity, with mortality, incident disability in basic activities of daily living, and loss of mobility in the elderly. A total of 943 participants were selected from the FRADEA Study, using available baseline data of chronic diseases, and at the follow-up visit of mortality, incident disability, and loss of mobility. The analysis was made of the unadjusted and adjusted association between the number of chronic diseases, the number of 14 pre-selected diseases, and the presence of two or more chronic diseases (multiple morbidity) with adverse health events recorded. Participants with a higher number of diseases (OR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.02-1.22), and 14 pre-selected diseases (OR 1.19; 95% CI: 1.03-1.38) had a higher adjusted mortality risk, but not a higher incident disease or mobility loss risk. Subjects with multiple morbidity had a higher non-significant mortality risk (HR 1.45; 95% CI: 0.87-2.43), than those without multiple morbidity. Disability-free mean time in participants with and without multiple morbidity was 846±34 and 731±17 days, respectively (Log-rank χ(2) 7.45. P=.006), and with our without mobility loss was 818±32 and 696±13 days, respectively (Log rank χ(2) 10.99. P=.001). Multiple morbidity was not associated with mortality, incident disability in ADL, or mobility loss in adults older than 70 years, although if mortality is taken into account, the number of chronic diseases is linear. Copyright © 2013 SEGG. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  10. Subjective health among LGBT persons living with disabilities: A qualitative content analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dispenza, Franco; Harper, Lauren S; Harrigan, Megan A

    2016-08-01

    There exist significant health disparities among both lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual (LGBT) and disability persons; however, there is a dearth of information regarding the subjective health experiences of LGBT persons living with disabilities (LGBTPWD). As such, the purpose of this study was to understand how LGBTPWD subjectively defined and characterized the meaning of health in their lives. Using qualitative content analyses procedures outlined by Elo and Kyngäs (2008), we conducted a secondary data analysis using a larger questionnaire study that was administered via the Internet. Participants were originally asked to answer the following prompt, "Describe what it personally means to you to be healthy?" Open-ended responses from 79 participants were thematically analyzed over several inductive and comparative coding iterations by a 3-person research team. Trustworthiness of data analysis was ensured via researcher triangulation, negative case analyses, and researcher reflexivity. Four dimensions of subjective health emerged during the qualitative analytic process: physical wellness, emotional vitality, functionality, and social engagement. There are contextually nuanced characteristics that constitute subjective health for LGBTPWD. These findings could help rehabilitation professionals provide culturally competent interventions. Implications for future research and limitations are provided in the discussion section. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  11. AmICog – mobile technologies to assist people with cognitive disabilities in the work place

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier GÓMEZ

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the system AmICog, designed specifically to assist people with cognitive disabilities in their workplaces. To do that we employ mobile devices for two different purposes: on the one hand, to show interactive guides adapted to the user, the task and the user’s context. On the other hand, to locate and provide directions in indoors environments.

  12. A Review of the Use of Touch-Screen Mobile Devices by People with Developmental Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephenson, Jennifer; Limbrick, Lisa

    2015-01-01

    This article presents a review of the research on the use of mobile touch-screen devices such as PDAs, iPod Touches, iPads and smart phones by people with developmental disabilities. Most of the research has been on very basic use of the devices as speech generating devices, as a means of providing video, pictorial and/or audio self-prompting and…

  13. Internal consistency and validity of an observational method for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steultjens, M. P.; Dekker, J.; van Baar, M. E.; Oostendorp, R. A.; Bijlsma, J. W.

    1999-01-01

    To establish the internal consistency and validity of an observational method for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Data were obtained from 198 patients with OA of the hip or knee. Results of the observational method were compared with results of self-report

  14. Development of disability in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: beyond lung function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eisner, Mark D; Iribarren, Carlos; Blanc, Paul D; Yelin, Edward H; Ackerson, Lynn; Byl, Nancy; Omachi, Theodore A; Sidney, Stephen; Katz, Patricia P

    2011-02-01

    COPD is a major cause of disability, but little is known about how disability develops in this condition. The authors analysed data from the Function, Living, Outcomes and Work (FLOW) Study which enrolled 1202 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members with COPD at baseline and re-evaluated 1051 subjects at 2-year follow-up. The authors tested the specific hypothesis that the development of specific non-respiratory impairments (abnormal body composition and muscle strength) and functional limitations (decreased lower extremity function, poor balance, mobility-related dyspnoea, reduced exercise performance and decreased cognitive function) will determine the risk of disability in COPD, after controlling for respiratory impairment (FEV(1) and oxygen saturation). The Valued Life Activities Scale was used to assess disability in terms of a broad range of daily activities. The primary disability outcome measure was defined as an increase in the proportion of activities that cannot be performed of 3.3% or greater from baseline to 2-year follow-up (the estimated minimal important difference). Multivariable logistic regression was used for analysis. Respiratory impairment measures were related to an increased prospective risk of disability (multivariate OR 1.75; 95% CI 1.26 to 2.44 for 1 litre decrement of FEV(1) and OR 1.57 per 5% decrement in oxygen saturation; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.18). Non-respiratory impairment (body composition and lower extremity muscle strength) and functional limitations (lower extremity function, exercise performance, and mobility-related dyspnoea) were all associated with an increased longitudinal risk of disability after controlling for respiratory impairment (pdeterminants of disablement. Prevention and treatment of disability require a comprehensive approach to the COPD patient.

  15. Living with the label "disability": personal narrative as a resource for responsive and informed practice in biomedicine and bioethics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishop, Jeffery; Sunderland, Naomi

    2013-01-01

    What is it like to live with the label "Disability?" NIB editorial staff and narrative symposium editors, Jeffery Bishop and Naomi Sunderland developed a call for stories, which was sent to several list serves, shared with the 1000 Voices Project community and posted on Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics' website. The request for personal stories from people who identify with the label "disabled" asked them to: consider how the label "disability" interacts with other aspects of their life in health care settings; does the term "disability" reflect their actual embodied experiences of impairment or does it fail to do justice to their particular experience of impairment; describe the kind of experiences that are possible because of the impairment(s); discuss how the label has affected their "authentic voice"; and many other concepts about what effects the label has on their lives. These authors share deeply personal experiences that will help readers understand their world, challenges, and joys. Thirteen stories are found in the print version of the journal and an additional five supplemental stories are published online only through Project MUSE. The stories are complemented by four commentary articles by Elizabeth R. Schiltz; Lorna Hallahan; Nicole Matthews, Kathleen Ellem, and Lesley Chenoweth; and Jeffery Bishop, Rachelle Barina, and Devan Stahl. These scholars come from the disciplines of law, social work, media studies, medicine, and bioethics from Australia and the United States. Together, the symposium's storytellers and commentators offer striking and informative insights into the everydayness of living with disabilities.

  16. The Joint Associations of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Mobility Disability in Older People: The NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiPietro, Loretta; Jin, Yichen; Talegawkar, Sameera; Matthews, Charles E

    2018-03-14

    The purpose of this study was to determine the joint associations of sedentary time and physical activity with mobility disability in older age. We analyzed prospective data from 134,269 participants in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study between 1995-1996 and 2004-2005. Total sitting time (h/d), TV viewing time (h/d) and light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (h/wk) were self-reported at baseline, and mobility disability at follow-up was defined as being "unable to walk" or having an "easy usual walking pace (sedentary time and total physical activity with the odds of disability. Among the most active participants (>7 h/wk), sitting sedentary time, combined with increased physical activity may be necessary to maintain function in older age.

  17. Implications of changes in households and living arrangements for future home-based care needs and costs for disabled elders in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yi; Chen, Huashuai; Wang, Zhenglian; Land, Kenneth C

    2015-04-01

    To better understand future home-based care needs and costs for disabled elders in China. To further develop and apply the ProFamy extended cohort-component method and the most recent census and survey data. (a) Chinese disabled elders and the annual growth rate of the percentage of national gross domestic product (GDP) devoted to home-based care costs for disabled elders will increase much more rapidly than the growth of total elderly population; (b) home-based care needs and costs for disabled oldest-old aged 80+ will increase much faster than that for disabled young-old aged 65-79 after 2030; (c) disabled unmarried elders living alone and their home-based care costs increase substantially faster than those disabled unmarried elders living with children; (d) percent of rural disabled oldest-old will be substantially higher than that of rural population after 2030; (e) sensitivity analyses show that possible changes in mortality and elderly disability status are the major direct factors affecting home-based care needs and costs; (f) caregivers resources under the universal two-child policy will be substantially better than that under the rigorous fertility policy unchanged. We discuss policy recommendations concerning pathways to healthy aging with relatively reduced care costs, including reductions of the prevalence of disability, gender equality, the universal two-child policy and resources of caregivers, encouragements of rural-to-urban family migration and elder's residential proximity to their adult children, and remarriages of not-married elders. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. Beyond physical access: a qualitative analysis into the barriers to policy implementation and service provision experienced by persons with disabilities living in a rural context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neille, Joanne; Penn, Claire

    2015-01-01

    Persons with disabilities make up approximately 15% of the world's population, with vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by the incidence of disability. Research reflects that persons with disabilities are vulnerable to stigma and discrimination, social isolation, and have physical barriers to accessing support services, all of which serve to perpetuate a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability within their lives. Recently a number of policies and models of intervention have been introduced intended to protect the rights of those affected by disability, yet limited research has been conducted into the lived experiences of persons with disabilities, particularly in rural contexts. This implies that little is known about the impact of the rural context on the lived experience of disability and the ways in which context impacts on the implementation of policies and practices. The current study employed a qualitative design underpinned by the principles of narrative inquiry and participant observation. Thirty adults with a variety of congenital and acquired disabilities (15 men and 15 women, ranging in age from 19 to 83 years) living in 12 rural communities in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa were recruited through snowball sampling. Data collection comprised a combination of narrative inquiry and participant observation. Narratives were collected in SiSwati with the assistance of a SiSwati-speaking research mediator and were transcribed and translated into English. Data were analysed inductively according to the principles of thematic analysis. Findings confirmed that the experience of living with a disability in a rural area is associated with discrimination, social exclusion, and isolation and barriers to accessing services, underpinned by numerous context-specific experiences, including mortality rates, exposure to numerous and repeated forms of violence across the lifespan, and corruption and lack of transparency in the implementation of

  19. Emergent leadership among tenants with psychiatric disabilities living in supported housing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piat, Myra; Sabetti, Judith; Padgett, Deborah

    2018-06-01

    The overall aim of this study was to explore the experiences of people with psychiatric disabilities living as tenants in independent, supported apartments for the first time. Supported housing provides an alternative to structured, custodial housing models, such as foster homes, or board-and-care homes, for clients in public mental health systems. This article reports findings on how leadership emerged among tenants after making the transition from custodial to supported housing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with tenants (n = 24) and included questions on their housing history, current living situation, relationships with staff, participation, and understanding or experience of leadership. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, codes generated, and a thematic analysis conducted using a constructivist approach. The findings revealed an understanding and appreciation of leadership among tenants, who identified six pathways to leadership in their housing as a response to unmet tenant needs. Most tenant leaders emerged outside of formal authority or power structures. Supported housing provides a unique social setting and empowering community where the potential of persons with psychiatric disabilities to assume leadership may be realized and further developed. Mental health professionals working in community housing networks are well placed to harness these face-to-face tenant communities, and their natural leaders, as an additional tool in promoting tenant recovery, mutual help, neighbourhood integration, and the broader exercise of citizenship. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

  20. Managing Mobile Relationships: Children's Perceptions of the Impact of the Mobile Phone on Relationships in Their Everyday Lives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, Emma

    2010-01-01

    This article explores English children's use of mobile phones in managing and maintaining friendships and relationships in their everyday lives. Based on the accounts of 30 young people aged between 11 and 17, this research adopts a social constructivist perspective to offer a theoretical framework which explores how children themselves actually…

  1. Survival, disabilities in activities of daily living, and physical and cognitive functioning among the oldest-old in China

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zeng, Yi; Feng, Qiushi; Hesketh, Therese

    2017-01-01

    age at the time of the assessment in the 1998 and 2008 surveys. Four health outcomes were investigated: annual death rate, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), physical performance in three tests and cognitive function measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We used different tests......BACKGROUND: The oldest-old (those aged ≥80 years) are the most rapidly growing age group globally, and are most in need of health care and assistance. We aimed to assess changes in mortality, disability in activities of daily living, and physical and cognitive functioning among oldest......, and that disability according to activities of daily living had significantly reduced annually between 0·8% and 2·8%. However, cognitive impairment in the later cohorts increased annually between 0·7% and 2·2% and objective physical performance capacity (standing up from a chair, picking up a book from the floor...

  2. Empowered to Play: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Powered Mobility on the Exploratory Play of Disabled Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonday, Amshuda; Gretschel, Pam

    2016-03-01

    Exploratory play is one of the most vital ways in which children learn about their environment and develop. It is well documented that limited mobility restricts a child's ability to engage in their environment through exploratory play. In this study, a qualitative, collective case study design explored the impact of powered mobility on the exploratory play of two children with physical disabilities. Data were collected from the children, their parents and their siblings through participant observation and in-depth, informal interviews. This paper focuses on two themes: Opportunity to Play revealed how powered mobility increased opportunities for the children to become more actively engaged in exploratory play with others across a wider array of contexts, and My Child was Transformed highlighted significant changes in the affect and motivation of each child, which seemed to be linked to their increased internal control over their play choices. The findings suggest that the provision of powered mobility is a key contributor promoting the participation of physically disabled children in exploratory play. Because of undergraduate curricular constraints, a limitation of this study was that data were only confined to 2 months; affecting the depth of data gained that prolonged engagement would have offered. The study recommends for occupational therapy practice that occupational therapists advocate for easier access to powered mobility through governmental and policy means. The study also recommends further research be conducted on the experiences of the caregivers on how these powered mobility devices have influenced their day-to-day occupations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Dilemmas in the Legal Treatment of the Status of People Living with Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laki Ildikó

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The legal treatment of disability affairs carries in itself an inherent contradiction due to the nature of modern society and free-market economy. On the one hand both the historically developed notions of essentialism and on the other the particular-functional definition of manhood drawing its roots from the established democratic order and market economics are present simultaneously. However, within the current order of things there is an unbridgeable divide between them. Nevertheless, with the progression of time there is a slow gradual shift discernible away from the functional definition with the parallel strengthening of the essentialist approach. This shift is further exaggerated by the more widespread acceptance of the rights of self-determination and the provision of opportunities for the disabled, the emergence of social self-determination in case of a population subgroup living under special conditions. For the proper interpretation of the currents in the evolution of legal treatment of disabled people it would be indispensable to institute a proper social-discourse analysis, which, however, exceeds in scope its narrowly defined task.

  4. Which dimensions of disability does the HIV Disability Questionnaire (HDQ) measure? A factor analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Kelly K; Bayoumi, Ahmed M; Stratford, Paul; Solomon, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    To assess the dimensions of disability measured by the HIV Disability Questionnaire (HDQ), a newly developed 72-item self-administered questionnaire that describes the presence, severity and episodic nature of disability experienced by people living with HIV. We recruited adults living with HIV from hospital clinics, AIDS service organizations and a specialty hospital and administered the HDQ followed by a demographic questionnaire. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis using disability severity scores to determine the domains of disability in the HDQ. We used the following steps: (a) ensured correlations between items were >0.30 and 1.5 to determine the number of factors to retain; and d) used oblique rotation to simplify the factor loading matrix. We assigned items to factors based on factor loadings of >0.30. Of the 361 participants, 80% were men and 77% reported living with at least two concurrent health conditions in addition to HIV. The exploratory factor analysis suggested retaining six factors. Items related to symptoms and impairments loaded on three factors (physical [20 items], cognitive [3 items], and mental and emotional health [11 items]) and items related to worrying about the future, daily activities, and personal relationships loaded on three additional factors (uncertainty [14 items], difficulties with day-to-day activities [9 items], social inclusion [12 items]). The HDQ has six domains: physical symptoms and impairments; cognitive symptoms and impairments; mental and emotional health symptoms and impairments; uncertainty; difficulties with day-to-day activities and challenges to social inclusion. These domains establish the scoring structure for the dimensions of disability measured by the HDQ. Implications for Rehabilitation As individuals live longer and age with HIV, they may be living with the health-related consequences of HIV and concurrent health conditions, a concept that may be termed disability. Measuring disability is important

  5. Effects of physical exercise therapy on mobility, physical functioning, physical activity and quality of life in a population of community dwelling elderly patients with impaired mobility, physical disability and/ or multi morbidity: a meta analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Vries, Nienke; Staal, Bart; van Ravensburg, Dorine; Hobbelen, Hans; Olde Rikkert, Marcel; Nijhuis-van der Sande, Maria

    2012-01-01

    This is the first meta-analysis focusing on elderly patients with mobility problems, physical disability and/or multi-morbidity. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of physical exercise therapy on mobility, physical functioning, physical activity and quality of life. A broad systematic

  6. Exploring Clothing as a Barrier to Workplace Participation Faced by People Living with Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kerri McBee-Black

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In response to research which argues that people living with a disability (PLWD face societal barriers including workplace participation, this study explored how the barriers to social participation, specifically workplace participation, faced by PLWD are exacerbated by the lack of appropriate clothing and the role that stigma, self-efficacy, and clothing have in workplace participation. Finding appropriate clothing is a significant barrier to social participation for many PLWD. The social model of disability used in this study supports this by suggesting that it is society which places barriers to PLWD rather than their disability. A qualitative inquiry of semi-structured, in-depth interviews was used, and the results showcase six sub-themes of barriers: work defines me, disability as the barrier to workplace participation, work allows extra societal opportunities, stigma questions my self-efficacy, workplace accommodations diminish my stigma, and clothing builds my self-efficacy. The study found that, for PLWD, workplace participation is hindered because of occupational typecasting and lack of appropriate clothing, which increases their stigma and decreases their self-efficacy. The contributions of this study include theory support, policy, community, and educational enhancement.

  7. A Systematic review of Generic and Special Needs of Children with Disabilities Living in Poverty Settings in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    OpenAIRE

    Lygnegård, Frida; Donohue, Dana; Bornman, Juan; Granlund, Mats; Huus, Karina

    2013-01-01

    Children with disabilities living in poverty settings in low and middle-income countries are particularly in need of special support designed to meet the needs occurring in an environment where poverty is prevalent and resources are scarce. This paper presents a systematic review of the needs of children with disabilities living in poverty settings in low and middle-income countries using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a theoretical framework.  The findings demonstrate that needs at the first...

  8. Mobile Technology in the Lives of Thai Immigrants in Germany

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sirima Thongsawang

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the role of mobile technology in the lives of Thai immigrants in Berlin. By using qualitative research methods, this research investigates how new digital and social media applications have affected the organization of Thai immigrants on both individual and institutional levels, with a particular focus on the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin. Mobile technologies today are widely used in the diaspora, by both individuals and social institutions, to maintain relationships with the homeland and to promote national affairs. Both individual Thai immigrants and official staff of the embassy rely significantly on Internet sites, particularly on social networking sites such as Facebook, to gain information on Thailand and to expand their networks. This paper explores changes in communication and their implications for Thais and their respective institutions in Germany.

  9. Pierre Bourdieu's Theory of Practice offers nurses a framework to uncover embodied knowledge of patients living with disabilities or illnesses: A discussion paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oerther, Sarah; Oerther, Daniel B

    2018-04-01

    To discuss how Bourdieu's theory of practice can be used by nurse researchers to better uncover the embodied knowledge of patients living with disability and illness. Bourdieu's theory of practice has been used in social and healthcare researches. This theory emphasizes that an individual's everyday practices are not always explicit and mediated by language, but instead an individual's everyday practices are often are tacit and embodied. Discussion paper. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL and SCOPUS were searched for concepts from Bourdieu's theory that was used to understand embodied knowledge of patients living with disability and illness. The literature search included articles from 2003 - 2017. Nurse researchers should use Bourdieu's theory of practice to uncover the embodied knowledge of patients living with disability and illness, and nurse researchers should translate these discoveries into policy recommendations and improved evidence-based best practice. The practice of nursing should incorporate an understanding of embodied knowledge to support disabled and ill patients as these patients modify "everyday practices" in the light of their disabilities and illnesses. Bourdieu's theory enriches nursing because the theory allows for consideration of both the objective and the subjective through the conceptualization of capital, habitus and field. Uncovering individuals embodied knowledge is critical to implement best practices that assist patients as they adapt to bodily changes during disability and illness. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. The Relationship Between Individual Characteristics and Interest in Using a Mobile Phone App for HIV Self-Management: Observational Cohort Study of People Living With HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucero, Robert James; Frimpong, Jemima A; Fehlberg, Elizabeth A; Bjarnadottir, Ragnhildur I; Weaver, Michael T; Cook, Christa; Modave, Francois; Rathore, Mobeen H; Morano, Jamie P; Ibanez, Gladys; Cook, Robert L

    2017-07-27

    The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a major health issue in the United States, and an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV. As part of Healthy People 2020, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has targeted the persistent demographic and geographic disparities in HIV prevalence and management. Preliminary evidence suggests that mobile health technology (smartphone apps) may be a promising way to support HIV self-management among vulnerable populations of people living with HIV (PLWH) who lack access to appropriate health care services. This study examines the association between individual characteristics of PLWH and level of interest in using a free mobile phone app for HIV self-management. This study was conducted using cross-sectional survey data collected in the Florida Cohort Study between 2014 and 2016 (N=766). Associations between individual characteristics of PLWH and level of interest in using a free mobile phone app for HIV self-management were examined using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Overall, 85.5% (655/766) of respondents were interested in using a free mobile phone app that supports HIV self-management. Participants expressed the highest interest in app functions that facilitate communication with health care providers (568/740, 76.8%) or help to identify relevant health care services (556/745 74.6%). Age (OR 0.959, 95% CI 0.936-0.982), education (OR 1.281, 95% CI 1.027-1.598) and disability or inability to work (OR 0.296, 95% CI 0.145-0.606) were all significantly associated with being interested in using a free mobile phone app for HIV self-management. This study indicates that a majority of PLWH are interested in using a free mobile phone app to self-manage their condition. The findings can inform the development of mobile phone apps that support effective HIV self-management. ©Robert James Lucero, Jemima A Frimpong, Elizabeth A Fehlberg, Ragnhildur I Bjarnadottir

  11. Tiredness in daily activities: a subjective measure for the identification of frailty among non-disabled community-living older adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz-Larsen, Kirsten; Avlund, Kirsten

    2006-01-01

    The objective of this study was to determine whether the responses to questions about tiredness in daily activities is an early subjective sign of frailty indicating older community-living adults at increased risk for disability and mortality. Tiredness in daily activities as measured by the Mob......-T Scale, maximal power in sustained work, and comorbid diseases were assessed together with sociodemographic variables in a sample of 705 non-disabled, 70-year old men and women surveyed in 1984. Vital status of members was determined prospectively over the next 15 years. Onset of disability was measured...

  12. People with Intellectual Disabilities at the End of Their Lives: The Case for Specialist Care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forrester-Jones, Rachel; Beecham, Jennifer K.; Barnoux, Magali; Oliver, David; Couch, Elyse; Bates, Claire

    2017-01-01

    Background: People with intellectual disabilities have a shorter life expectancy, but healthcare improvements mean that they are beginning to live longer, with associated health difficulties. This means that there is an urgent need to focus research on ageing as well as end-of-life care. This study aimed to explore a specialist intellectual…

  13. Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and incident functional disability in elderly Japanese: The Tsurugaya Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mori, Kentaro; Kaiho, Yu; Tomata, Yasutake; Narita, Mamoru; Tanji, Fumiya; Sugiyama, Kemmyo; Sugawara, Yumi; Tsuji, Ichiro

    2017-04-01

    To test the hypothesis that elderly persons who feel ikigai (a sense of life worth living) have a lower risk of incident functional disability than those who do not. Recent studies have suggested that ikigai impacts on mortality. However, its impact upon disability is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between ikigai and incident functional disability among elderly persons. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 830 Japanese elderly persons aged ≥70 years as a comprehensive geriatric assessment in 2003. Information on ikigai was collected by self-reported questionnaire. Data on functional disability were retrieved from the public Long-term Care Insurance database in which participants were followed up for 11 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incidence of functional disability were calculated for three groups delineated according to the presence of ikigai (“no”, “uncertain” or “yes”) using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The 11-year incidence of functional disability was 53.3% (442 cases). As compared with the “no” group, the multiple-adjusted HR (95% CI) of incident functional disability was 0.61 (0.36–1.02) for the “uncertain” group and 0.50 (0.30–0.84) for the “yes” group. A stronger degree of ikigai is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. The impact of visual impairment on the ability to perform activities of daily living for persons with severe/profound intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dijkhuizen, Annemarie; Hilgenkamp, Thessa I M; Krijnen, Wim P; van der Schans, Cees P; Waninge, Aly

    2016-01-01

    The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) as a component of participation is one of the factors that contribute to quality of life. The ability to perform ADL for persons experiencing severe/profound intellectual disability (ID) may be reduced due to their cognitive and physical capacities. However, until recently, the impact of the significantly prevalent visual impairments on the performance of activities of daily living has not yet been revealed within this group. The purpose of this prospective cross-sectional study was to investigate the impact of visual impairment on the performance of activities of daily living for persons with a severe/profound intellectual disability. The Barthel Index (BI) and Comfortable Walking Speed (CWS) were used to measure the ability of performing activities of daily living (ADL) in 240 persons with severe/profound ID and having Gross Motor Functioning Classification System (GMFCS) levels I, II or III; this included 120 persons with visual impairment. The impact of visual impairment on ADL was analyzed with linear regression. The results of the study demonstrated that visual impairment slightly affects the ability of performing activities of daily living (BI) for persons experiencing a severe/profound intellectual disability. GMFCS Levels II or III, profound ID level, and visual impairment each have the effect of lowering BI scores. GMFCS Levels II or III, and profound ID level each have the effect of increasing CWS scores, which indicates a lower walking speed. A main effect of visual impairment is present on CWS, but our results do show a substantive interaction effect between GMFCS level III and visual impairment on Comfortable Walking Speed in persons with a severe/profound intellectual disability. Visual impairment has a slight effect on ability to perform ADL in persons experiencing severe/profound ID. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Exercise and fall prevention self-management to reduce mobility-related disability and falls after fall-related lower limb fracture in older people: protocol for the RESTORE (Recovery Exercises and STepping On afteR fracturE) randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherrington, Catherine; Fairhall, Nicola; Kirkham, Catherine; Clemson, Lindy; Howard, Kirsten; Vogler, Constance; Close, Jacqueline C T; Moseley, Anne M; Cameron, Ian D; Mak, Jenson; Sonnabend, David; Lord, Stephen R

    2016-02-02

    Lasting disability and further falls are common and costly problems in older people following fall-related lower limb and pelvic fractures. Exercise interventions can improve mobility after fracture and reduce falls in older people, however the optimal approach to rehabilitation after fall-related lower limb and pelvic fracture is unclear. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of an exercise and fall prevention self-management intervention on mobility-related disability and falls in older people following fall-related lower limb or pelvic fracture. Cost-effectiveness of the intervention will also be investigated. A randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding for physical performance tests and intention-to-treat analysis will be conducted. Three hundred and fifty people aged 60 years and over with a fall-related lower limb or pelvic fracture, who are living at home or in a low care residential aged care facility and have completed active rehabilitation, will be recruited. Participants will be randomised to receive a 12-month intervention or usual care. The intervention group will receive ten home visits from a physiotherapist to prescribe an individualised exercise program with motivational interviewing, plus fall prevention education through individualised advice from the physiotherapist or attendance at the group based "Stepping On" program (seven two-hour group sessions). Participants will be followed for a 12-month period. Primary outcome measures will be mobility-related disability and falls. Secondary outcomes will include measures of balance and mobility, falls risk, physical activity, walking aid use, frailty, pain, nutrition, falls efficacy, mood, positive and negative affect, quality of life, assistance required, hospital readmission, and health-system and community-service contact. This study will determine the effect and cost-effectiveness of this exercise self management intervention on mobility

  16. Pain as a risk factor for disability or death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrews, James S; Cenzer, Irena Stijacic; Yelin, Edward; Covinsky, Kenneth E

    2013-04-01

    To determine whether pain predicts future activity of daily living (ADL) disability or death in individuals aged 60 and older. Prospective cohort study. The 1998 to 2008 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative study of older community-living individuals. Twelve thousand six hundred thirty-one participants in the 1998 HRS aged 60 and older who did not need help in any ADL. Participants reporting that they had moderate or severe pain most of the time were defined as having significant pain. The primary outcome was time to development of ADL disability or death over 10 yrs, assessed at five successive 2-year intervals. ADL disability was defined as needing help performing any ADL: bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, eating, or walking across a room. A discrete hazards survival model was used to examine the relationship between pain and incident disability over each 2-year interval using only participants who started the interval with no ADL disability. Several potential confounders were adjusted for at the start of each interval: demographic factors, seven chronic health conditions, and functional limitations (ADL difficulty and difficulty with five measures of mobility). At baseline, 2,283 (18%) participants had significant pain. Participants with pain were more likely (all P disability or death (58% vs 43%, unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.57-1.79), although after adjustment for confounders, participants with pain were not at greater risk for ADL disability or death (HR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.91-1.07). Adjustment for functional status almost entirely explained the difference between the unadjusted and adjusted results. Although there are strong cross-sectional relationships between pain and functional limitations, individuals with pain are not at higher risk of subsequent disability or death after accounting for functional limitations. Like many geriatric syndromes, pain and disability may

  17. 'What really annoys me is people take it like it's a disability', epilepsy, disability and identity among people of Pakistani origin living in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhodes, Penny J; Small, Neil A; Ismail, Hanif; Wright, John P

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on a study of Pakistani people with epilepsy. It explores their attitudes towards their condition, others' attitudes, its impact on their lives, and the extent to which they considered themselves as disabled. Epilepsy was variously interpreted within biomedical, folk and religious paradigms. In line with popular understandings, participants associated disability with stable, permanent and visible physical impairments and did not consider themselves as disabled. However, they also recognised a social dimension to their experience. Much of the distress and disadvantage they experienced was socially determined, both through direct prejudice and discrimination, and indirectly through a fear of others' negative reactions. However, the invisible and unpredictable nature of epilepsy meant that they could conceal their condition and thereby mitigate its social effects. 'Disability' was not experienced as a static and permanent state but as a potential identity that was both contingent and contested. The literature portrays people moving from biomedical to social interpretations of disability. However, the tensions experienced by people in the study were more between competing religious interpretations of their condition and, to some extent, between religious and medical approaches. Conceptions of disability, which are presented in the literature as antagonistic and mutually exclusive, were experienced as different dimensions reflecting the complexity of experience. The paper concludes by suggesting that for many people, for whom disability is an ambiguous, contingent and contested identity, public self-identification as disabled is an unrealistic goal. Rather than conceiving of disability as primarily physical or primarily social, it would be better construed as a complex interweaving of multiple factors--physical, environmental, socio-cultural and psychological factors.

  18. Exploring Clothing as a Barrier to Workplace Participation Faced by People Living with Disabilities

    OpenAIRE

    Kerri McBee-Black; Jung Ha-Brookshire

    2018-01-01

    In response to research which argues that people living with a disability (PLWD) face societal barriers including workplace participation, this study explored how the barriers to social participation, specifically workplace participation, faced by PLWD are exacerbated by the lack of appropriate clothing and the role that stigma, self-efficacy, and clothing have in workplace participation. Finding appropriate clothing is a significant barrier to social participation for many PLWD. The social m...

  19. The Value of a Gardening Service for the Frail Elderly and People With a Disability Living in the Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Same, Anne; Lee, Elinda Ai Lim; McNamara, Beverley; Rosenwax, Lorna

    2016-11-01

    Little is known about the significance of gardening services for frail elderly people. This study explored the value of a gardening service for frail older people and people with a disability living in the community. Using qualitative and quantitative data collected from pre-gardening ( n = 38) and post-gardening service delivery interviews ( n = 35) and the Housing Enabler, the value of a gardening service was examined. Findings suggest that the service had a positive impact on the independence and emotional well-being of frail aged people and younger people with a functional disability, with little impact on physical health. Results indicate that gardening services should be fundamental to planning for these populations to remain or return to living in the community.

  20. Center Director Bridges visits Disability Awareness and Action working Group Technology Fair

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    Center Director Roy Bridges stops to pet one of the dogs that serves with Canine Companions for Independence, a vendor displaying its capabilities at the Disability Awareness and Action Working Group (DAAWG) 1999 Technology Fair being held Oct. 20-21 at Kennedy Space Center. Standing at the right is Carol Cavanaugh, with KSC Public Services; behind Bridges is Nancie Strott (left), a multi-media specialist with Dynacs and chairperson of the Fair, and Sterling Walker (right), director of Engineering Development and chairman of DAAWG. The Fair is highlighting vendors demonstrating mobility, hearing, vision and silent disability assistive technology. The purpose is to create an awareness of the types of technology currently available to assist people with various disabilities in the workplace. The theme is that of this year's National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 'Opening Doors to Ability.' Some of the other vendors participating are Goodwill Industries, Accessible Structures, Division of Blind Services, Space Coast Center for Independent Living, KSC Fitness Center and Delaware North Parks Services.

  1. Stigma of mental and physical illness and the use of mobile technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalski, Robin Marie; Morgan, Megan; Taylor, Katlyn

    2017-01-01

    Research has shown the stigma attached to mental disabilities, yet little research has directly compared the experiences of people with physical disabilities and those with mental disabilities. Not only are both conditions likely perceived as stigmatizing, but the pervasive use of mobile technology may be one means by which people with disabilities can manage and understand their disability. Four hundred and eighty-seven individuals with physical and/or psychological disabilities completed a survey examining whether they would be willing to use mobile technology to manage their disability and how stigmatizing they perceived their disability to be. Willingness to use mobile technology was related to the age of the sample as well as the type of disability. Individuals with psychological disabilities were more likely to use certain forms of mobile technology relative to those with physical disabilities. Observed differences between physical and psychological disabilities are discussed in terms of the symbolic interaction stigma model.

  2. Rehabilitation Counselor Preparation to Work with LGBTQ Persons Living with Chronic Illness/Disability: A Qualitative Content Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dispenza, Franco; Elston, Nikki C.; Huffstead, Mary E.; Suttles, Mackenzie G.; Golubovic, Nedeljko

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To identify meaningful educative experiences that contributed to the development of rehabilitation counselors' abilities to provide effective rehabilitation counseling services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) persons living with chronic illness/disabilities (CID). Method: This was a secondary analysis of a larger…

  3. Effects of Nurse-Led Multifactorial Care to Prevent Disability in Community-Living Older People : Cluster Randomized Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suijker, Jacqueline J.; van Rijn, Marjon; Buurman, Bianca M.; ter Riet, Gerben; van Charante, Eric P. Moll; de Rooij, Sophia E.

    2016-01-01

    Background To evaluate the effects of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent disability in community-living older people. Methods In a cluster randomized trail, 11 practices (n = 1,209 participants) were randomized to the intervention group, and 13 practices (n = 1,074 participants) were

  4. SOCIAL ADAPTATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC REHABILITATION CENTRES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tesler Kirill Igorevich

    2012-10-01

    The solution is to establish public rehabilitation centres that perform recreational, educational, sports, cultural, social, technological and production functions. This solution is most needed for blind and visually impaired people, because they experience particular problems in travelling in the urban environment. Establishment of the barrier-free environment can solve the problem of socialization of disabled people, because it contemplates all functional processes that they need. Integration of various functional units within public rehabilitation centres helps improve the living conditions of disabled people, and at the same time it contributes to the profitability of these centres as a whole and provides the necessary impetus boosting the development of techniques and technologies required for low mobility groups of people.

  5. Socioeconomic differences in the benefits of structured physical activity compared with health education on the prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bann, David; Chen, Haiying; Bonell, Chris; Glynn, Nancy W; Fielding, Roger A; Manini, Todd; King, Abby C; Pahor, Marco; Mihalko, Shannon L; Gill, Thomas M

    2016-09-01

    Evidence is lacking on whether health-benefiting community-based interventions differ in their effectiveness according to socioeconomic characteristics. We evaluated whether the benefit of a structured physical activity intervention on reducing mobility disability in older adults differs by education or income. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study was a multicentre, randomised trial that compared a structured physical activity programme with a health education programme on the incidence of mobility disability among at-risk community-living older adults (aged 70-89 years; average follow-up of 2.6 years). Education (≤ high school (0-12 years), college (13-17 years) or postgraduate) and annual household income were self-reported (education (0.72, 0.51 to 1.03; N=411) compared with lower education (high school or less (0.93, 0.70 to 1.24; N=536). However, the education group×intervention interaction term was not statistically significant (p=0.54). Findings were in the same direction yet less pronounced when household income was used as the socioeconomic indicator. In the largest and longest running trial of physical activity amongst at-risk older adults, intervention effect sizes were largest among those with higher education or income, yet tests of statistical interactions were non-significant, likely due to inadequate power. NCT01072500. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  6. The relationships among Muslim Uyghur and Kazakh disabled elders' life satisfaction, activity of daily living, and informal family caregiver's burden, depression, and life satisfaction in far western China: A structural equation model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wen Ting; He, Bin; Wang, Yu Huan; Wang, Mei Yan; Chen, Xue Feng; Wu, Fu Chen; Yang, Xue

    2017-04-01

    1 Hypothesis Disabled elders' activities of daily living, caregiver burden, caregiver depression, and caregivers' life satisfaction are significantly related to the life satisfaction of elderly people with disability. 2 Hypothesis There are direct and indirect effects between the life satisfaction of elders, disabled elders' activities of daily living, and family caregivers' factors. This study explored the interrelationships of disabled elders' life satisfaction and activities of daily living, caregivers' factors (burden, depression, and life satisfaction) through a structural equation model. In total, 621 dyads of disabled elders and informal family caregivers completed questionnaires during face-to-face interviews in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from September 2013 to January 2014. Activity of daily living exerted a direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 30.4% indirect effect through caregivers' factors. Caregiver burden had a 60.0% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and a 40.0% indirect effect through the caregiver depression. Caregiver depression showed 76% direct effect on life satisfaction of disabled elders and 24% indirect effect through caregivers' life satisfaction. Direct relationships between activity of daily living and caregiver burden, caregiver burden and caregiver depression, and caregiver depression and caregivers' life satisfaction were observed. Activity of daily living had a 91.3% indirect effect on caregiver depression mediated by caregiver burden; caregiver burden had a 40.0% indirect effect on caregivers' life satisfaction mediated by caregiver depression. Results provide useful information for nurses and policymakers and shed light on the need to consider caregivers' factors in improving care recipients' life satisfaction. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  7. Utility of Staff Training on Correcting Sleep Problems in People With Intellectual Disabilities Living in Residential Settings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hylkema, T.; Petitiaux, W.; Vlaskamp, C.

    While sleep problems in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in residential settings are very common, scant attention is paid to them. This study examined how to improve the knowledge and understanding of sleep quality and sleep problems in people with ID among care staff at a

  8. Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Cervical Cancer Screening among Women with Physical Disabilities Living in the Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Li-Wei; Lin, Lan-Ping; Chen, Si-Fan; Hsu, Shang-Wei; Loh, Ching-Hui; Wu, Chia-Ling; Lin, Jin-Ding

    2012-01-01

    The study aims to explore knowledge and attitudeSs regarding cervical cancer screening and to examine its determinants based on the perspectives of Taiwanese women with physical disabilities living in the community. A cross-sectional survey was employed in the study, and we recruited 498 women aged more than 15 years who were officially registered…

  9. Women with Disabilities and Breast Cancer Screening

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... About CDC.gov . Disability & Health Home Disability Overview Disability Inclusion Barriers to Inclusion Inclusion Strategies Inclusion in Programs & Activities Resources Healthy Living Disability & Physical Activity Disability & Obesity Disability & Smoking Disability & Breast ...

  10. The effects of neural mobilization on cervical radiculopathy patients' pain, disability, ROM, and deep flexor endurance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Dong-Gyu; Chung, Sin Ho; Jung, Ho Bal

    2017-09-22

    Cervical radiculopathy (CR) is a disease of the cervical spine and a space-occupying lesion that occurs because of pathological problems with cervical nerve roots. Nerve root injury to produce functional disability. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of neural mobilization with manual cervical traction (NMCT) compared with manual cervical traction (MCT) on pain, functional disability, muscle endurance, and range of motion (ROM) in individuals with CR patients. A blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted. Thirty CR patients were divided into two groups - those who received NMCT and those who received MCT. The intervention was applied three times per week for eight weeks. It was measured in order to determine the pain and functional disability in patients with CR. The numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), neck disability index (NDI), ROM, and deep flexor endurance of patients were measured prior to the experiment, four weeks, and eight weeks after the experiment to compare the time points. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare differences within each group prior to the experiment. And Bonferroni test was performed to examine the significance of each time point. There were significant differences within each group prior to the intervention, four weeks after the intervention, and eight weeks after the intervention in NPRS, NDI, ROM, and deep flexor endurance (Ppain relief, recovery from neck disability, ROM, and deep flexor endurance for patients with CR.

  11. Barriers in health care access faced by children with intellectual disabilities living in rural Uttar Pradesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jubin Varghese

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: People with disability in rural India face multiple barriers accessing healthcare; our hypothesis is that children with intellectual disability suffer the same but little is known about the barriers faced by them. The objectives of the study were to identify the health seeking behaviours of families with children with intellectual disabilities and the barriers they faced accessing healthcare. Methods: This qualitative study involved interviewing caregivers of children with intellectual disability from a pre-existing community development project in the Sahadoli Kadim block of rural Uttar Pradesh. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the local practitioners frequented by these caregivers. Results: Barriers identified were grouped under cognitive, structural and financial barriers which were found to be consistent with the Health Care Access Barrier Model (Carrillo, et al., 2011; WHO, 2011. Cognitive barriers included caregivers being unable to identify the complex health needs of their children. Caregivers lacked appropriate knowledge of intellectual disability, with doctors failing to educate them. Structural and financial barriers encompassed poor availability of healthcare providers and contributed to poor access to specialists. Caregivers had no information about government financial aid and healthcare providers did not refer them to these. Conclusion: Children with intellectual disabilities are forced to live with a poor quality of life because of cognitive, structural and financial barriers they face in accessing health care. Results are specific to children with intellectual disability in rural Sahadoli Kadim and could be used to inform policies and strategies to reduce disparities in health care access for these children.

  12. The reality of disability: Multidimensional poverty of people with disability and their families in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinilla-Roncancio, Mónica

    2017-12-30

    Disability and poverty are interconnected and although this relationship has been recognised, there is a lack of empirical evidence to support any possible causal relationship in this topic, particularly in the context of Latin America (LA). This study tests the hypothesis "Disability increases the risk of multidimensional poverty of people living with disabilities and their families". Using national census data from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico, the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (Global MPI) was calculated with the aim of measuring and comparing the levels of multidimensional poverty of people living in households with and without disabled members in the five countries. We found that in the five countries people with disabilities and their families had higher incidence, intensity and levels of multidimensional poverty compared with people living in other households. Their levels of deprivation were also higher for all the indicators included in the Global MPI and the contribution of this group to the national MPI was higher than their share of the population, thus people with disabilities and their families are overrepresented in those living in multidimensional poverty. People with disabilities and their families are in worse conditions than poor households without disabled members and social policies should aim to reduce their high levels of multidimensional poverty and deprivation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990-2015

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Truelsen, Thomas Clement

    2016-01-01

    common in adults. For the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015), we estimated the incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for diseases and injuries at the global, regional, and national scale over the period of 1990 to 2015. METHODS: We estimated...... incidence and prevalence by age, sex, cause, year, and geography with a wide range of updated and standardised analytical procedures. Improvements from GBD 2013 included the addition of new data sources, updates to literature reviews for 85 causes, and the identification and inclusion of additional studies...... causes of years lived with disability (YLDs) on a global basis. NCDs accounted for 18 of the leading 20 causes of age-standardised YLDs on a global scale. Where rates were decreasing, the rate of decrease for YLDs was slower than that of years of life lost (YLLs) for nearly every cause included in our...

  14. Challenges for independent living of people with intellectual disabilities. A study based on their opinions, opinions of their families and professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Pallisera Díaz

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Despite Spain's ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007, there are few studies on the situation of people with intellectual disabilities (ID regarding their right to independent living (art. 19. In order to analyse the barriers, supports and challenges that affect the exercise of this right, a qualitative study was developed through 10 focus groups and 22 individual interviews with people with ID, 5 focus groups with families, and 33 individual interviews with professionals. The research results show the need to guarantee the universality of the right to independent living, offering quality personalized supports and developing training and awareness actions in the area of rights with the different actors involved.

  15. Homosexuality among People with a Mild Intellectual Disability: An Explorative Study on the Lived Experiences of Homosexual People in the Netherlands with a Mild Intellectual Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoffelen, J.; Kok, G.; Hospers, H.; Curfs, L. M. G.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Empirical research on homosexuality among people with an intellectual disability (ID) is limited and, to date, very little is known regarding the personal experiences of gay and lesbian people with an ID. This study set out to answer the question: "What are the lived experiences of a specific cohort of homosexual people with an…

  16. An Investigation into the Role of Mobile Technology in Collaborative Disease Management for Persons Living with Type 2 Diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sultan

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Diabetes and other chronic non-communicable diseases represent a leading threat to health care and human development. The authors discusses how mobile technology can achieve collaborative disease management (CDM within a population living with Type 2 diabetes. We introduces a framework for CDM using mobile technologies. While it can be applied to the management of any disease, we describe a specific instance for diabetes peer-support. In this paper, we validate the framework through the development and testing of a Mobile Health initiative called Mobile Diabetes Self-Management Support (DSMS. It allows persons living with diabetes to learn from each others’ experiences through a virtual support group. The paper presents two user studies conducted. The first study captured the participants’ initial perceptions of the application in a controlled environment and the second study investigated system usage and collaboration when the application was used in their personal settings.

  17. Geriatic Disability Related Factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Adib Hajbagheri

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Reports are indicating of increasing trend of aging and disability in the developing countries while such disabilities are decreasing within the developed countries. This study designed to evaluate the disability and some of its related factors among the elderly population (65 and older in Kashan, Iran. Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on a multi-stage random sample of 350 elderly people (65 year and older in Kashan. The WHO-DAS-II was used as the generic disability measure. The questionnair had 48 questions. The range of score could be between 0-144. Chi-square, t-test analysis and ANOVA were utilized to check significant differences between subgroups. Results: 61% were men and 12% were living lonely. One fourth had some type of addiction, the majority were ilitrate and two thired had not regular phisycal activity.Twenty percent of the old people had a modereate disability and 4.3% were extremely disabled. A significant relationship was found between the disability and variables such as sex, age, living style, needing help, marriage status, living location, addiction, job, level of physical activity, education, and having multiple diseases. Conclusion: In conclusion, geriatric population in Iran, has a lower levels of disability in compare to those of other developed countries. Need of geriatric cares must be be increasing, since the populationpattern of elderly people is increasing in Iran. Female and ilitrate elders were sufering of more disability. These findings indicated the nessesity to more attention to these voulnarable subgroups of population.

  18. Social circus program (Cirque du Soleil) promoting social participation of young people living with physical disabilities in transition to adulthood: a qualitative pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loiselle, Frédéric; Rochette, Annie; Tétreault, Sylvie; Lafortune, Michel; Bastien, Josée

    2018-05-29

    To explore the perceived impact of a social circus program on the participation level of young adults' living with physical disabilities from their own and their parents' perspective. Exploratory phenomenological qualitative design. A social circus program was offered for nine months. Perceived participation level was documented through pre and post semi-structured interviews. A pretested interview guide was used. Interviews were transcribed and coded by two independent researchers. The average age of the participants (n = 9) was 20.0 ± 1.4 years with 2/9 being female. Participation was perceived as being improved after the intervention from both perspectives (participants and parents) mainly for communication, mobility, relationships, community life and responsibilities. The intervention was perceived as strengthening self-perception and self-efficacy, which in turn enhanced participation level and decreased parents' bounding. The results show promises for social circus as a new approach in adult physical rehabilitation for this population in transition.

  19. Living with disability. Taking care of siblings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Caldin

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The birth of a disabled child is a critical event that places all the members of the family in a condition of great vulnerability. When talking about families with a disabled child, attention is usually focused on the parents. Siblings tend to play a marginal role, as shown in the referred literature, in this specific field of investigation. Communicating diagnosis to siblings means involving them in the process of family change, making them active players rather than “spectators” in their own “existential niche”. Communication of diagnosis is a delicate, continuous process that has to be tackled appropriately, using targeted words and educational actions. Children need help in accepting and welcoming their disabled sibling, with all his/her characteristics (and deficits, through a balanced, pondered approach that includes both the dimension of co-development and the acknowledgement of problematic situations.

  20. Moving towards Midlife Care as Negotiated Family Business: Accounts of People with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families "Just Getting along with Their Lives Together"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knox, Marie; Bigby, Christine

    2007-01-01

    This study explores meanings of family care held by seven families that include a middle-aged adult with intellectually disability. In-depth interviews were conducted with members of each family--the person with intellectual disability, parents, siblings, and sibling spouses. Participants described care as simply getting on with their lives, as…

  1. The Lived Experience of Spirituality by the Elderly Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability: A Phenomenological Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arya Hamedanchi

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Over the next 30 years there will be a considerable increase in the number of elderly parents of children with intellectual disability. The present article is a part of a phenomenological study on the lived experience of elderly parents of children with intellectual disability which focuses on the issue of spirituality. There is insufficient scientific evidences related to this important phenomenon. Methods & Materials: Based on a purposeful sampling, ten elderly parents of children with intellectual disability (5 mothers and 5 fathers took part in the un-structured deep interviews. The data were analyzed using a Colaizzi phenomenological approach. Results: “Spirituality” was one of the four identified emergent themes. The other emergent themes were “Bitterness” ,”Emotional attachment”, ”Support satisfaction”. Despite of having difficulties in caregiving to the child with disability, the parents appreciate God and consider the child as his will. They also trust in God when facing problems. Conclusion: In the current study, spirituality was emerged as an important theme. The participants do believe that having a child with disability is God's will and even his bless. In this way of thinking, suffering and sorrows become tolerable, less painful and even valuable. Spirituality could be considered as a part of care plans for the elderly parents of children with intellectual disability. Since this phenomenon is a process it would be better to investigate that by Grounded Theory approach.

  2. Innovative methods and tools for professionals working in supported living services for intellectually disabled persons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruiz, Katalin

    2015-01-01

    Autonomy of mid-seriously and seriously intellectually disabled persons is encouraged both by legislations on human rights and the modern social care and services. The process leading to the maximum possible autonomy is illustrated by a developmental spiral in our model. Specialty of the development is that the personal educational projects are realized during everyday activities. The process requires conscious professionals with an empowering and motivating attitude, with adult relationship to the intellectually disabled persons and versatile skills and tools. In this educational relationship the social professional and the supported person are equal partners moving together along the spiral of human development. An innovative tool-battery has been developed aiding support-staff in the 'pedagogical' task embedded into everyday social services. The tool-battery and its first application in supported living services of the Hungarian Down Foundation are introduced in this paper.

  3. Lifetime History of Traumatic Brain Injury and Current Disability Among Ohio Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Honggang; Corrigan, John D; Singichetti, Bhavna; Bogner, Jennifer A; Manchester, Kara; Guo, Jinhong; Yang, Jingzhen

    2017-10-27

    To examine the associations between lifetime history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) with loss of consciousness (LOC) and several types of current disability among adult, noninstitutionalized residents of Ohio. 2014 Ohio Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System participants (n = 6998). Statewide population-based survey. Lifetime history of TBI with LOC (number and severity of injury, age of first injury), and number and type of disability (vision, cognition, mobility, self-care, and/or independent living). Of the 6998 participants, 1325 reported lifetime history of TBI with LOC, and 1959 reported currently having one or more disabilities. When weighted, these represented 21.7% and 23.7% of Ohio's noninstitutionalized adult population, respectively. Adults with a history of TBI with LOC showed greater odds of any disability compared with adults with no history (odds ratio = 2.49; 95% confidence interval = 1.97-3.15). The likelihood of having any and each type of disability increased as the number of TBIs or the severity of worst TBI increased, regardless of sustaining first TBI before or after the age of 15 years. Lifetime history of TBI with LOC is significantly associated with disability among Ohio adults. Further research on the natural course of the relation and preventive strategies is warranted.

  4. Evaluation of disabilities and activities of daily living of war-related bilateral lower extremity amputees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ebrahimzadeh, Mohammad H; Moradi, Ali; Bozorgnia, Shahram; Hallaj-Moghaddam, Mohammad

    2016-02-01

    Long-term consequences and the activities of daily living of bilateral lower limb amputation are not well documented. The aims of our study were to identify the long-term effects of bilateral lower extremity amputations on daily activities and understand how these amputees cope with their mobility assistive devices. Cross-sectional study. A total of 291 veterans with war bilateral lower limb amputations accepted to participate in a cross-sectional study. The average of follow-up was 25.4 years. A total of 152 amputees (54%) were involved in sports averagely 6.7 h per week. Bilateral amputees walk 10 m by the average of 15 ± 33 s, and they could walk continuously with their prosthesis 315 ± 295 m. They wore their prosthesis 6.8 ± 1.7 days per week and 7.9 ± 8.1 h per day. Of these, 6.7% of bilateral lower limb amputees needed help to wear their prosthesis; 88.3% of amputees used assistant device for walking. According to this survey, 73 (42%) prostheses in right limb were appropriate, 95 (54.6%) needed to be replaced, and 6 (3.4) needed to be fixed. On the left side, it was 76 (42%), 92 (52.0%), and 9 (5.1%), respectively. A total of 203 (74.9%) amputees reported limitations in at least one domain of the activities of daily living. The most common single item that affected the patients was ascending and descending stairs by the score of 66% of normal population. Veterans with bilateral lower limb amputations suffering from vast categories of daily problems. This study and its results confirm that bilateral lower limb amputees have major progressive disabilities in daily activities and their social performance. This should attract the attention of amputees' administrative organizations, social workers, health-care providers and caregiver providers. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.

  5. Survival, disabilities in activities of daily living, and physical and cognitive functioning among the oldest-old in China: a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yi; Feng, Qiushi; Hesketh, Therese; Christensen, Kaare; Vaupel, James W

    2017-04-22

    The oldest-old (those aged ≥80 years) are the most rapidly growing age group globally, and are most in need of health care and assistance. We aimed to assess changes in mortality, disability in activities of daily living, and physical and cognitive functioning among oldest-old individuals between 1998 and 2008. We used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study. Three pairs of cohorts aged 80-89 years, 90-99 years, and 100-105 years (in total, 19 528 oldest-old participants) were examined; the two cohorts in each pair were born 10 years apart, with the same age at the time of the assessment in the 1998 and 2008 surveys. Four health outcomes were investigated: annual death rate, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), physical performance in three tests and cognitive function measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We used different tests and multivariate regression analyses to examine the cohort differences. Controlling for various confounding factors, we noted that annual mortality among oldest-old individuals was substantially reduced between 0·2% and 1·3% in 1998-2008 compared with individuals of the same age born 10 years previously, and that disability according to activities of daily living had significantly reduced annually between 0·8% and 2·8%. However, cognitive impairment in the later cohorts increased annually between 0·7% and 2·2% and objective physical performance capacity (standing up from a chair, picking up a book from the floor, and turning around 360°) decreased anually between 0·4% and 3·8%. We also noted that female mortality was substantially lower than male mortality among the oldest-old, but that women's functional capacities in activities of daily living, cognition, and physical performance were worse than their male counterparts. Advances in medications, lifestyle, and socioeconomics might compress activities of daily living disability, that is, benefits of success, but lifespan extension might expand

  6. "Our lives, our identity": women with disabilities in India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawn, Ranjita

    2014-01-01

    Although there is a world-wide trend towards women with disabilities attempting to establish their own identity in this complex society, their condition remains very different in the developing countries particularly, India. The plight of women with disabilities is very depressing as they face a triple handicap and discrimination due to their disability, besides the gender issues. Violence against women with disabilities can range from neglect to physical abuse to denying them even the traditional roles of marriage and childbearing. This article addresses the problem of sexual assault of women with disabilities in the Indian context, highlighting on some of the loopholes in the Indian legal system. The article has primarily been based on review of various books, articles and government and other related documents. Review of literature has revealed that in majority of the instances a significant portion of perpetrators have been found to be male caregivers followed by the male family members and strangers constitute only a miniscule of the percentage of the abusers. Adding to this legal system has further aggrieved the situation as the criminal law in India has also not adequately addressed the problem of sexual assault of women with disabilities. The article concludes by suggesting possible strategies to reinstall the position of women with disabilities in a community based rehabilitation setting. It advocates the need to create a supportive environment for disclosure of sexual assault and responses to it will be characterised by belief in the victim, dignity and respect. In India, women with disabilities need to be provided with adequate knowledge about sexuality which will equip them to understand that they have been sexually assaulted. There is the need for policy makers to ensure greater accessibility to complaint and redressal mechanisms for women with disabilities. Efforts need to be made to strengthen the legal system and necessary legal aid/help to bring

  7. 76 FR 33744 - Final Priority; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)-Disability...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-09

    ... living for individuals with disabilities and their families. Types of Priorities When inviting... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA Number: 84.133A-09] Final Priority; National Institute on Disability... . Through the implementation of the Plan, NIDRR seeks to: (1) Improve the quality and utility of disability...

  8. Preventing Pressure Sores

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ...

  9. Sex and Fertility After SCI

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ...

  10. Basics of SCI Rehabilitation

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ...

  11. Spinal Cord Injury 101

    Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ... 2018 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities Photography by Rona Talcott Website by Mobile Marketing LLC ...

  12. Higher education and spatial (im)mobility: nontraditional students and living at home

    OpenAIRE

    Hazel Christie

    2007-01-01

    I investigate the mobility decisions of students going into higher education in the UK, and look particularly at the circumstances under which students in one higher education market chose to live at home and their experiences of attending a local university. As more young people from nontraditional backgrounds are encouraged to participate in higher education, and as the financial costs of attending are increasingly borne by students and their families, more students are choosing to stay at ...

  13. Delivering Live Multimedia Streams to Mobile Hosts in a Wireless Internet with Multiple Content Aggregators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bianchi, G.; Hesselman, C.E.W.; Eertink, E.H.; Eertink, Henk; Kermani, P.; Lee, S.J.; Widya, I.A.; Huizer, E.

    We consider the distribution of channels of live multimedia content (e.g., radio or TV broadcasts) via multiple content aggregators. In our work, an aggregator receives channels from content sources and redistributes them to a potentially large number of mobile hosts. Each aggregator can offer a

  14. Mobilities Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lanng, Ditte Bendix; Wind, Simon; Jensen, Ole B.

    2017-01-01

    Mobilities comprise a large part of our world and everyday lives, and the mobilities spaces in which we travel are ubiquitous. Yet, ordinary mobilities spaces – such as parking lots, pedestrian tunnels, and road lay-bys – tend to be criticized as typologies that lack consideration for the people...... who use them and for their wider social, aesthetic, cultural, and ecological agency in the city. This is clearly not an unambiguous characterization. But from it follows an urgency to re-examine unheeded mobilities spaces and extend demands of their agency beyond standards of technical efficiency....... This article draws on the recent “mobilities turn” in social science to support such re-examination of mobilities spaces. In social-scientific mobilities research, mobilities are considered the departure point for understanding the socio-material world in which we live. Mobilities are regarded as far more than...

  15. Personalization, self-advocacy and inclusion: An evaluation of parent-initiated supported living schemes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reindl, Marie-Sol; Waltz, Mitzi; Schippers, Alice

    2016-06-01

    This study focused on parent-initiated supported living schemes in the South of the Netherlands and the ability of these living schemes to enhance participation, choice, autonomy and self-advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities through personalized planning, support and care. Based on in-depth interviews with tenants, parents and caregivers, findings included that parent-initiated supported housing schemes made steps towards stimulating self-advocacy and autonomy for tenants. However, overprotective and paternalistic attitudes expressed by a significant number of parents, as well as structural constraints affecting the living schemes, created obstacles to tenants' personal development. The study calls for consideration of interdependence as a model for the relationship of parents and adult offspring with disabilities. The benefits and tensions inherent within this relationship must be taken into consideration during inclusive community building. © The Author(s) 2016.

  16. Coping with pain in the hip or knee in relation to physical disability in community-living elderly people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hopman-Rock, M.; Kraaimaat, F. W.; Odding, E.; Bijlsma, J. W.

    1998-01-01

    To investigate the use of pain coping strategies by community-living older people with pain in the hip or knee and the mediating role of coping with pain in the relationship between the chronicity of pain and physical disability. A group of 157 people with pain "in the last month" was identified.

  17. Personalization, Self-Advocacy and Inclusion: An Evaluation of Parent-Initiated Supported Living Schemes for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Netherlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reindl, Marie-Sol; Waltz, Mitzi; Schippers, Alice

    2016-01-01

    This study focused on parent-initiated supported living schemes in the South of the Netherlands and the ability of these living schemes to enhance participation, choice, autonomy and self-advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities through personalized planning, support and care. Based on in-depth interviews with tenants,…

  18. Influence of Age, Gender, and Living Circumstances on Patterns of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Use in Children and Adolescents With or Without Intellectual Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osunsanmi, Sunkanmi; Turk, Jeremy

    2016-11-01

    The aim of the study was to determine whether there are differences in psychopharmacological practice for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents dependent on the presence or absence of associated intellectual disability; and if there are, whether the differences are influenced by factors such as age, gender, and living circumstances. A case-control cross-sectional design was used. Each arm of the study had a total of 107 children and adolescents aged 5-18 years. Case participants had diagnoses of having intellectual disability and ADHD; comparison participants had diagnoses of having ADHD, but no intellectual disability. Outcome measurements were (1) concurrent use of medications-single medication event as against concurrent multiple medication events-and (2) type of medication used-stimulants versus nonstimulants. Demographic factors considered were gender, age, and living circumstances. Male-to-female ratio in each group was 90:17. Mean age in the case group was 10.93 years (standard deviation [SD]: 3.39 years) and in the comparison group, 12.34 years (SD: 3.22 years). Seventy percent of the case group lived with their biological families, while 84% of the comparison group did so. In the case group, 7.5% were in residential school placements compared with only 0.9% of the comparison group. There were no statistically significant differences in broad measurements of outcomes between the case and comparison groups. Age appeared to be an important moderating factor for type of medication prescribed. Younger children with intellectual disabilities and ADHD were more likely to be established on nonstimulant medications than those with ADHD and no intellectual disabilities (p = 0.024, odds ratio: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.7). Being between the ages of 5 and 12 years and having intellectual disability and ADHD are associated with raised likelihood of being prescribed nonstimulant medications for ADHD. This difference is maintained

  19. The MDS-UPDRS Part II (motor experiences of daily living) resulted useful for assessment of disability in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez-Blazquez, Carmen; Rojo-Abuin, Jose Manuel; Alvarez-Sanchez, Mario; Arakaki, Tomoko; Bergareche-Yarza, Alberto; Chade, Anabel; Garretto, Nelida; Gershanik, Oscar; Kurtis, Monica M; Martinez-Castrillo, Juan Carlos; Mendoza-Rodriguez, Amelia; Moore, Henry P; Rodriguez-Violante, Mayela; Singer, Carlos; Tilley, Barbara C; Huang, Jing; Stebbins, Glenn T; Goetz, Christopher G; Martinez-Martin, Pablo

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the motor experiences of daily living section of the Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS M-EDL) for assessing disability in PD patients; to determine the association between disability and quality of life; and to identify cut-off score ranges for no, mild, moderate and severe disability with this measure. International, observational, cross-sectional study of 435 PD patients, assessed with: MDS-UPDRS, Hoehn and Yahr staging, Rapid Assessment of Disability Scale, Clinical Impression of Severity Index for PD, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8 and EQ-5D. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, Kruskal-Wallis test for group comparisons, ordinal logistic regression analysis for setting cut-off values and a step-wise multiple linear regression model were calculated. MDS-UPDRS M-EDL correlated 0.70-0.80 with other disability measures, and -0.46 to 0.74 with quality of life scales. Scores significantly increased with higher disease duration and severity (p MDS-UPDRS nM-EDL section as the main determinant of M-EDL, followed by the rest of MDS-UPDRS sections (explained variance: 59%). MDS-UPDRS M-EDL proved to be useful for assessing disability in PD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The measurement of disability in the elderly: a systematic review of self-reported questionnaires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Ming; Ding, Xiang; Dong, Birong

    2014-02-01

    To analyze the contents and formats of general self-reported questionnaires on disability that are designed for and/or are widely applied in the elderly population to depict a complete picture of this field and help researchers to choose proper tools more efficiently. A broad systematic literature search was performed in September 2013 and included the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and PROQOLID. The publication language was limited to English and Chinese. Two review authors independently performed the study selection and data extraction. All of the included instruments were extracted and classified using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework. Of 5569 articles retrieved from the searches and 156 articles retrieved from the pearling, 22 studies (including 24 questionnaires) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. From these, 42 different domains and 458 items were extracted. The most frequently used questionnaire was the Barthel Index followed by the Lawton and Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale and the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living, respectively. The contents and formats of the questionnaires varied considerably. Activities and participation were the most commonly assessed dimensions. In addition, the Activities of Daily Living, mobility and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were the most common domains assessed among the included questionnaires. Among the 24 included questionnaires, the most frequently used questionnaires were the Barthel Index, Lawton and Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, and Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living. The content and format of the questionnaires varied considerably, but none of the questionnaires covered all essential dimensions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework. Copyright © 2014 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  1. Diabetes, hyperglycemia, and the burden of functional disability among older adults in a community-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godino, Job G; Appel, Lawrence J; Gross, Alden L; Schrack, Jennifer A; Parrinello, Christina M; Kalyani, Rita R; Windham, Beverly Gwen; Pankow, James S; Kritchevsky, Stephen B; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Selvin, Elizabeth

    2017-01-01

    There is a need for continued surveillance of diabetes-related functional disability. In the present study, we examined associations between diabetes, hyperglycemia, and the burden of functional disability in a community-based population. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of 5035 participants who attended Visit 5 (2011-13) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Functional disability was dichotomously defined by any self-reported difficulty performing 12 tasks essential to independent living grouped into four functional domains. Associations of diagnosed diabetes (via self-report) and undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes (via HbA1c) with functional disability were evaluated using Poisson regression. Participants had a mean age of 75 years, 42 % were male, 22 % were Black, and 31 % had diagnosed diabetes. Those with diagnosed diabetes had a significantly greater burden of functional disability than those without diabetes, even after adjustment for demographics, health behaviors, and comorbidities: prevalence ratios (95 % confidence intervals) were 1.24 (1.15, 1.34) for lower extremity mobility, 1.14 (1.07, 1.21) for general physical activities, 1.33 (1.16, 1.52) for instrumental activities of daily living (ADL), and 1.46 (1.24, 1.73) for ADL (all P  0.05). Among older adults, the burden of functional disability associated with diabetes was not entirely explained by known risk factors, including comorbidities. Hyperglycemia below the threshold for the diagnosis of diabetes was not associated with disability. Research into effective strategies for the prevention of functional disability among older adults with diabetes is needed. © 2016 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  2. "The land of the sick and the land of the healthy": Disability, bureaucracy, and stigma among people living with poverty and chronic illness in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittle, Henry J; Palar, Kartika; Ranadive, Nikhil A; Turan, Janet M; Kushel, Margot; Weiser, Sheri D

    2017-10-01

    Disability benefits have become an increasingly prominent source of cash assistance for impoverished American citizens over the past two decades. This development coincided with cuts and market-oriented reforms to state and federal welfare programs, characteristic of the wider political-economic trends collectively referred to as neoliberalism. Recent research has argued that contemporary discourses on 'disability fraudsters' and 'malingerers' associated with this shift represent the latest manifestation of age-old stigmatization of the 'undeserving poor'. Few studies, however, have investigated how the system of disability benefits, as well as these stigmatizing discourses, shapes the lived experience of disabling physical illness in today's United States. Here we present qualitative data from 64 semi-structured interviews with low-income individuals living with HIV and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus to explore the experience of long-term, work-limiting disability in the San Francisco Bay Area. Interviews were conducted between April and December 2014. Participants explained how they had encountered what they perceived to be excessive, obstructive, and penalizing bureaucracy from social institutions, leading to destitution and poor mental health. They also described being stigmatized as disabled for living with chronic ill health, and simultaneously stigmatized as shirking and malingering for claiming disability benefits as a result. Notably, this latter form of stigma appeared to be exacerbated by the bureaucracy of the administrating institutions. Participants also described intersections of health-related stigma with stigmas of poverty, gender, sexual orientation, and race. The data reveal a complex picture of poverty and intersectional stigma in this population, potentiated by a convoluted and inflexible bureaucracy governing the system of disability benefits. We discuss how these findings reflect the historical context of neoliberal cuts and reforms to social

  3. Deaf mobile application accessibility requirements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathan, Shelena Soosay; Hussain, Azham; Hashim, Nor Laily

    2016-08-01

    Requirement for deaf mobile applications need to be analysed to ensure the disabilities need are instilled into the mobile applications developed for them. Universal design is understandable to comply every user needs, however specific disability is argued by the authors to have different need and requirements. These differences are among the reasons for these applications being developed to target for a specific group of people, however they are less usable and later abandoned. This study focuses on deriving requirements that are needed by the deaf in their mobile applications that are meant specifically for them. Studies on previous literature was conducted it can be concluded that graphic, text, multimedia and sign language interpreter are among mostly required features to be included in their mobile application to ensure the applications are usable for this community.

  4. Perceptions of quality of life and disability in homeless persons with schizophrenia and persons with schizophrenia living in non-institutional housing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Plas, A G M; Hoek, H W; van Hoeken, D; Valencia, E; van Hemert, A M

    2012-11-01

    Homelessness is common in persons with schizophrenia. It is unclear how housing conditions and homelessness affect their quality of life and their disability. To explore the self-perceived quality of life and disability of homeless persons with schizophrenia and of those of persons with schizophrenia living in non-institutional housing. Seventy-six not-homeless and 50 homeless persons with schizophrenia were assessed using the World Health Organization's Quality of Life - short version (WHOQOL-Bref) and Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-II). Univariate comparisons of the two groups were made for sociodemographic variables, clinical characteristics, perceived quality of life and disability. A regression model was used to adjust for potential confounding factors between quality of life, disability and housing. After controlling for age, gender, marital status and age of first hospital admission, homeless persons had more positive scores for the quality of life domain 'health', for the disability domain 'getting along with people' and for the total disability score than persons in non-institutional housing. Contrary to our expectations, the persons in non-institutional housing reported a lower quality of life and more disability than the homeless people. Future research should clarify whether non-institutional housing in and of itself can improve the well-being of people with schizophrenia.

  5. Residential mobility among foreign-born persons living in Sweden is associated with lower mortality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Björn Albin

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Björn Albin1,2, Katarina Hjelm1,2, Jan Ekberg3, Sölve Elmståhl41School of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden; 2Department of Health Sciences, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Lund University, Sweden; 3Centre of Labour Market Policy Research (CAFO, School of Management and Economics, Växjö University, Sweden; 4Department of Health Sciences, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Lund University, SwedenAbstract: There have been few longitudinal studies on the effect of within-country mobility on patterns of mortality in deceased foreign-born individuals. The results have varied; some studies have found that individuals who move around within the same country have better health status than those who do not change their place of residence. Other studies have shown that changing one’s place of residence leads to more self-reported health problems and diseases. Our aim was to analyze the pattern of mortality in deceased foreign-born persons living in Sweden during the years 1970–1999 in relation to distance mobility. Data from Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare was used, and the study population consisted of 281,412 ­foreign-born persons aged 16 years and over who were registered as living in Sweden in 1970. Distance mobility did not have a negative effect on health. Total mortality was lower (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.69–0.73 in foreign-born persons in Sweden who had changed their county of residence during the period 1970–1990. Higher death rates were observed, after adjustment for age, in three ICD diagnosis groups “Injury and poisoning”, “External causes of injury and poisoning”, and “Diseases of the digestive system” among persons who had changed county of residence.Keywords: residential mobility, health, foreign-born, immigrant, Sweden, mortality

  6. Effects of neural mobilization on pain, straight leg raise test and disability in patients with radicular low back pain

    OpenAIRE

    Haris Čolaković; Dijana Avdić

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Radicular low back pain is a disorder involving the dysfunction of the lumbosacral nerve roots. Clinical rehabilitation approaches for low back pain include kinesiotherapy, and physical therapyprocedures: ice , rest , heat, ultrasound, TENS, but evidences regarding their effectiveness are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine if nerve mobilization brings better improvements in pain, SLR testand functional disability in patients with radicular low back pain compared...

  7. Socio-demographic characteristics and challenges experienced by disabled patients living with HIV/AIDS in a tertiary hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olowookere, S A; Adewole, I F

    2012-09-01

    HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and few studies had looked at physically and mentally challenged people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in this environment. This study aimed to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and challenges faced by these patients attending University College Hospital, Ibadan. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was done. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was administered to consecutive disabled PLHIV over a period of six months. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of ninety-nine patients were seen during the study period. The mean age of these patients was 39.9 +/- 9.4 years (range 23-60 years). There were 30 (30.3%) males and 69 (69.7%) females. Twenty-four percent had no formal education while 12% had tertiary education. All respondents had suffered stigmatization/discrimination while most were poor. Eighty-seven percent had AIDS at presentation. Musculoskeletal impairments (46.5%), hearing loss (16.2%) and visual impairment (31.3%) were the commonest disability. Over twenty-three percent had prior history of road traffic accident as the cause of disability. Physically and mentally challenged people living with HIV/AIDS are poor and highly stigmatized. They require special assistance to cope and need economic empowerment to reduce their poverty level.

  8. “The land of the sick and the land of the healthy”: Disability, bureaucracy, and stigma among people living with poverty and chronic illness in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whittle, Henry J.; Palar, Kartika; Ranadive, Nikhil A.; Turan, Janet M.; Kushel, Margot; Weiser, Sheri D.

    2018-01-01

    Disability benefits have become an increasingly prominent source of cash assistance for impoverished American citizens over the past two decades. This development coincided with cuts and market-oriented reforms to state and federal welfare programs, characteristic of the wider political-economic trends collectively referred to as neoliberalism. Recent research has argued that contemporary discourses on ‘disability fraudsters’ and ‘malingerers’ associated with this shift represent the latest manifestation of age-old stigmatization of the ‘undeserving poor’. Few studies, however, have investigated how the system of disability benefits, as well as these stigmatizing discourses, shapes the lived experience of disabling physical illness in today's United States. Here we present qualitative data from 64 semi-structured interviews with low-income individuals living with HIV and/or type 2 diabetes mellitus to explore the experience of long-term, work-limiting disability in the San Francisco Bay Area. Interviews were conducted between April and December 2014. Participants explained how they had encountered what they perceived to be excessive, obstructive, and penalizing bureaucracy from social institutions, leading to destitution and poor mental health. They also described being stigmatized as disabled for living with chronic ill health, and simultaneously stigmatized as shirking and malingering for claiming disability benefits as a result. Notably, this latter form of stigma appeared to be exacerbated by the bureaucracy of the administrating institutions. Participants also described intersections of health-related stigma with stigmas of poverty, gender, sexual orientation, and race. The data reveal a complex picture of poverty and intersectional stigma in this population, potentiated by a convoluted and inflexible bureaucracy governing the system of disability benefits. We discuss how these findings reflect the historical context of neoliberal cuts and reforms

  9. Effects of hippotherapy on the thickness of deep abdominal muscles and activity of daily living in children with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, JiHyun; Yun, Chang-Kyo

    2017-04-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of hippotherapy exercise on the thickness of deep abdominal muscles and daily activities of children with intellectual disabilities. [Subjects and Methods] Seven children with intellectual disabilities were treated with hippotherapy for 30 minutes twice a week for 6 weeks. The thickness of deep abdominal muscles and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of the subjects were measured by ultrasonography before and after the experiment. [Results] There was no significant change in the thickness of the External Oblique and Internal Oblique muscles, but there was a statistically significant change in Transverse Adbominis thickness and FIM score after treatment compared to before treatment. [Conclusion] Hippotherapy exercise has a positive effect on the improvement of Transverse Abdominis (TrA) and activity of daily livings of children with intellectual disabilities.

  10. The Inclusion of the Lived Experience of Disability in Policymaking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laufey Löve

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the process under way in Iceland to align national law with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, focusing on the Convention’s call for the active involvement of disabled people and their representative organizations in policy and decision making on matters that affect them. The paper draws on comments submitted by Icelandic DPOs on draft legislation intended to replace the existing law on services for disabled people, focusing on comments relating to their ability to participate in and affect the policymaking process. Furthermore, it draws on interviews with leaders of representative organizations of disabled people that solicited their views on the issue. The findings indicate that there is a reluctance on behalf of Icelandic authorities to make changes to the established process, which limits the active participation of disabled people and their representative organizations. The draft legislation has neither been revised to include provisions for expanding the participation of DPOs in policy and decision making, nor to ensure that disabled people themselves participate in the process.

  11. Intuitive wireless control of a robotic arm for people living with an upper body disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fall, C L; Turgeon, P; Campeau-Lecours, A; Maheu, V; Boukadoum, M; Roy, S; Massicotte, D; Gosselin, C; Gosselin, B

    2015-08-01

    Assistive Technologies (ATs) also called extrinsic enablers are useful tools for people living with various disabilities. The key points when designing such useful devices not only concern their intended goal, but also the most suitable human-machine interface (HMI) that should be provided to users. This paper describes the design of a highly intuitive wireless controller for people living with upper body disabilities with a residual or complete control of their neck and their shoulders. Tested with JACO, a six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) assistive robotic arm with 3 flexible fingers on its end-effector, the system described in this article is made of low-cost commercial off-the-shelf components and allows a full emulation of JACO's standard controller, a 3 axis joystick with 7 user buttons. To do so, three nine-degree-of-freedom (9-DOF) inertial measurement units (IMUs) are connected to a microcontroller and help measuring the user's head and shoulders position, using a complementary filter approach. The results are then transmitted to a base-station via a 2.4-GHz low-power wireless transceiver and interpreted by the control algorithm running on a PC host. A dedicated software interface allows the user to quickly calibrate the controller, and translates the information into suitable commands for JACO. The proposed controller is thoroughly described, from the electronic design to implemented algorithms and user interfaces. Its performance and future improvements are discussed as well.

  12. People with an intellectual disability living in an intentional community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randell, M; Cumella, S

    2009-08-01

    Hospital closure programmes in England have generally sought to attain a fulfilling life for people with an intellectual disability by locating them in domestic-style housing in urban settings. Few have been placed in intentional or 'village' communities. Yet comparative studies of different housing types have found that intentional communities have better or similar outcomes for their residents than dispersed housing or residential clusters on former hospital sites. A possible explanation is the distinctive pattern of social relationships that exist in many intentional communities and the impact this has on the lives of their residents. This paper reports the results of research that explores the perceptions of people with an ID living in an intentional community and the meaning of their community to them. The research used an ethnographic approach to interview a sample of 15 residents in a large intentional community (Botton Village), which is part of the Camphill Movement. Interviews used Makaton, pictures and symbols where required. Respondents included 10 men and 5 women aged between 38 and 78 years. Length of residence in Botton Village ranged from 5 to 50 years. All lived with the families of co-workers and valued these relationships. All but one (who had retired) worked in a diverse range of employment in the village. Almost all were positive about their work. Respondents reported that they took part in both individual and communal leisure activities and all but two had a network of friends. Opportunities for friendship were enhanced by proximity to other people with an ID and a sense of personal security in the village. As in many villages and communities in society in general, these advantages were balanced by some loss of privacy. Results confirm those from earlier studies of intentional communities and suggest that positive outcomes derive from the absence of the overt subordination of residents to staff, the facilitation of friendship with other people

  13. Factors affecting mobility milestones and activities of daily living after stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Masahito

    2008-01-01

    Mobility milestones are elementary movements related to activities of daily living (ADL) and have a significant influence on functional recovery after stroke. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting mobility milestones and to clarify the relationships between mobility milestones and ADL. Participants were in the acute phase after first-ever strokes (ischemic, n=77; hemorrhagic, n=84). Clinical and radiological factors within the first week were determined and their effects on mobility milestones after 4 weeks were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. After 4 weeks the patients were divided into four groups on the basis of sitting balance, standing balance, and walking ability. Then total ADL score was calculated using the Barthel index (BI), and percentage of independent patients in each 10 items of BI was transition rate of ADL for each of the four groups. Patients with ischemic stroke showed the following findings. Sitting balance was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis, consciousness level, and presence of an internal capsule lesion on computed tomography (CT) (R 2 =0.86); standing balance was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis and consciousness level (R 2 =0.72); and walking ability was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis (R 2 =0.64). Patients with hemorrhagic stroke showed the following findings. Sitting balance was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis, intraventricular hemorrhage on CT, blood pressure instability, and fever (R 2 =0.75); standing balance was affected by severity of lower limb paralysis, consciousness level, and presence of an internal capsule lesion (R 2 =0.58); and walking ability was influenced by severity of lower limb paralysis and presence of an internal capsule lesion (R 2 =0.70). In both types of stroke, sitting and standing balance and walking ability were directly associated with total ADL score, and sitting and standing balance became independent earlier than ADL. Severity of

  14. The Right to Live--Disability Is Not a Crime.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blumberg, Lisa

    1984-01-01

    A physically disabled individual shares her horror at decisions of parents and doctors to deny medical treatment to handicapped infants. She avers that every child is born with a mix of talents and shortcomings, some more marked than others, and that disability should not be punished. (CL)

  15. Development and evaluation of a mobile AAC: a virtual therapist and speech assistant for people with communication disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Erh-Hsuan; Zhou, Leming; Chen, Szu-Han Kay; Hill, Katya; Parmanto, Bambang

    2017-09-26

    The currently existing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technologies have limitations to produce the best communication rehabilitation outcomes and therefore a better solution is needed. In this work, a mobile AAC app was developed based on results from research studies. Sophisticated AAC language programming, embedded training materials, and real-time communication performance reporting were integrated into the app. Two groups of study participants were recruited to participate a usability study and a preliminary feasibility study for the purpose of evaluating this mobile AAC app, respectively. A tablet-based AAC app was developed to support communication rehabilitation. User studies of the app were conducted and included able-bodied individuals and people with verbal communication disabilities. All study participants agreed that the app establishes a usable alternative treatment protocol for communication rehabilitation. The app's integrated features have great potential to maximize users' communication effectiveness, enhance language skills, and ultimately improve users' quality of life. Implications for rehabilitation We have developed and evaluated an integrated mobile AAC language-based app. This tablet-based app integrated AAC with embedded trainings and real-time performance report.

  16. Effect of physical activity counseling on disability in older people: a 2-year randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Leinonen, Raija; Kujala, Urho M; Heikkinen, Eino; Törmäkangas, Timo; Hirvensalo, Mirja; Rasinaho, Minna; Karhula, Sirkka; Mänty, Minna; Rantanen, Taina

    2008-12-01

    To study the effect of a physical activity counseling intervention on instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) disability. Primary care-based, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. City of Jyväskylä, central Finland. Six hundred thirty-two people aged 75 to 81 who were able to walk 500 meters without assistance, were at most moderately physically active, had a Mini-Mental State Examination score greater than 21, had no medical contraindications for physical activity, and gave informed consent for participation. A single individualized physical activity counseling session with supportive phone calls from a physiotherapist every 4 months for 2 years and annual lectures on physical activity. Control group received no intervention. The outcome was IADL disability defined as having difficulties in or inability to perform IADL tasks. Analyses were carried out according to baseline IADL disability, mobility limitation, and cognitive status. At the end of the follow-up, IADL disability had increased in both groups (Pphysical activity counseling intervention had no effect on older sedentary community-dwelling persons with a wide range of IADL disability, although it prevented incident IADL disability. The results warrant further investigation to explore the benefits of a primary care-based physical activity counseling program on decreasing and postponing IADL disability.

  17. Parental perceptions of barriers to physical activity in children with developmental disabilities living in Trinidad and Tobago.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Njelesani, Janet; Leckie, Karen; Drummond, Jennifer; Cameron, Deb

    2015-01-01

    Parents have a strong influence on their child's engagement in physical activities, especially for children with developmental disabilities, as these children are less likely to initiate physical activity. Knowledge is limited regarding parents' perceptions of this phenomenon in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); yet many rehabilitation providers work with children with developmental disabilities and their parents in these contexts. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers perceived by parents of children with developmental disabilities to their children's engagement in physical activity. An occupational perspective was used to explore how parents speak about barriers to their child's engagement in physical activity. Interviews were conducted with nine parents in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Parent's perceived barriers were categorized into four themes: family priorities, not an option in our environment, need to match the activity to the child's ability, and need for specialized supports. FINDINGS provide opportunities for future rehabilitation and community programming in LMICs. Implications for Rehabilitation Children living with a developmental disability may engage more in solitary and sedentary pursuits as a result of parents choosing activities that do not present extensive social and physical demands for their child. Therapists can play an important role in providing knowledge to parents of appropriate physical activity and the benefits of physical activity for children with developmental disabilities in order to promote children's participation. In environments where there is limited social support for families, therapists need to consider and be particularly supportive of parental priorities and schedules.

  18. Impact of Sensory Impairments on Functional Disability in Adults With Arthritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Diana E.; Ward, Michael M.; Hoffman, Howard J.; Li, Chuan-Ming; Cotch, Mary Frances

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Mobility is reduced in people with sensory impairments and those with arthritis. The joint impact of these conditions may be underappreciated. This study examines the associations between impairments in vision, hearing, and balance and functional ability in adults with versus without arthritis. Methods Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1999–2004, arthritis status, functional ability, and sensory impairments (vision, hearing, and balance) were assessed from self-reported responses by 6,654 individuals aged ≥50 years (mean age, 63.4 years; 46.3% male). Multivariable regression analyses, conducted in 2014, assessed the associations between sensory impairment and arthritis on functional ability and mobility. Results Among study participants, 41.8% reported having arthritis; of these, 27.1%, 44.9%, and 35.1% reported impaired vision, hearing, or balance, respectively. Having multiple sensory impairments was significantly associated with reduced functional ability in people with arthritis; individuals with three sensory impairments reported the highest levels of disability for all functional domains (compared with no impairment; lower extremity mobility, 80.2% vs 39.1%; general physical activities, 94.7% vs 75.9%; activities of daily living, 69.7% vs 27.2%; instrumental activities of daily living, 77.2% vs 37.4%; leisure and social activities, 66.3% vs 30.6%; impaired gait speed, 48.1% vs 16.3%; all parthritis, had the greatest impact on mobility, with odds of impaired mobility at least twice as high as for individuals without arthritis. Conclusions Addressing sensory deficits, especially difficulties with vision, may improve functional ability, which may be particularly helpful for adults with arthritis. PMID:26410186

  19. The de Morton Mobility Index: Normative Data for a Clinically Useful Mobility Instrument

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. M. Macri

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Determining mobility status is an important component of any health assessment for older adults. In order for a mobility measure to be relevant and meaningful, normative data are required for comparison to a healthy reference population. The DEMMI is the first mobility instrument to measure mobility across the spectrum from bed bound to functional levels of independent mobility. In this cross-sectional observational study, normative data were obtained for the DEMMI from a population of 183 healthy, community-dwelling adults age 60+ who resided in Vancouver, Canada and Melbourne, Australia. Older age categories had significantly lower DEMMI mobility mean scores (P<0.05, as did individuals who walked with a mobility aid or lived in semi-independent living (assisted living or retirement village, whereas DEMMI scores did not differ by sex (P=0.49 or reported falls history (P=0.21. Normative data for the DEMMI mobility instrument provides vital reference scores to facilitate its use across the mobility spectrum in clinical, research, and policymaking settings.

  20. Harm avoidance and disability in old age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Robert S; Buchman, Aron S; Arnold, Steven E; Shah, Raj C; Tang, Yuxiao; Bennett, David A

    2006-01-01

    The relation of personality to disability in old age is not well understood. The authors examined the relation of harm avoidance, a trait indicating a tendency to worry, fear uncertainty, be shy, and tire easily, to disability in a group of 474 older persons without dementia. Participants completed the 35-item Harm Avoidance scale. Disability was assessed with the Rosow-Breslau scale, a self-report measure of physical mobility. Performance-based tests of lower limb functions were also administered from which composite measures of gait, balance, and strength were derived. In a logistic regression model controlled for age, sex, education, and lower limb function, persons with high levels of harm avoidance were nearly three times as likely to report mobility limitations as persons with low levels, and these effects largely reflected fatigability and fear of uncertainty. The association of harm avoidance with disability was not explained or modified by frailty, physical activity, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, extraversion, or cognition. The results suggest that harm avoidance is associated with disability in old age.

  1. Are you disabled? Social and cultural factors in understanding disability in Trinidad and Tobago

    OpenAIRE

    Rolston, Yansie

    2014-01-01

    This thesis is an analysis of the under-researched subject of disability in Trinidad and Tobago and presents an understanding of the concepts and contestations of disability as it is lived and experienced by disabled people in T&T. In it disability is explored in the context of identity construction, power relations and self-empowerment, and takes into account the ways in which that identity is shaped by historical events, cultural relations, social interactions and political structures.\\ud \\...

  2. Mobiles for mobility: Participatory design of a 'Happy walker' that stimulates mobility among older people

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhoeven, F.; Cremers, A.; Schoone, M.; Dijk, J. van

    2016-01-01

    Purpose Existing solutions facilitating mobility among older adults mainly focus on supporting physical disabilities. However, solutions are more likely to succeed when current activities and capabilities serve as a starting point. Participatory design is a suitable approach to detect these. We

  3. Family and Other Unpaid Caregivers and Older Adults with and without Dementia and Disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riffin, Catherine; Van Ness, Peter H; Wolff, Jennifer L; Fried, Terri

    2017-08-01

    To estimate the number of caregivers providing assistance to community-dwelling older persons with and without dementia and with or without substantial disability; to describe the characteristics of caregivers and care recipients in these groups; to characterize the health-related tasks that caregivers provide; and to estimate associations between the numbers of tasks and caregiver burden. Nationally representative surveys of caregivers and older adults in the United States. 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving. Community-dwelling older adults and their family caregivers, who were selected on the basis of having assisted with mobility, self-care, household activities, transportation, or medical tasks. Caregiver burden (emotional, physical, financial difficulties) and restrictions on social participation. Although much larger proportions of older adults with dementia and disability (98.4%, n = 1.0 million) and dementia but not disability (95.5%, n = 1.3 million) received caregiving assistance, the largest absolute number of individuals receiving assistance were older adults without dementia or disability (4.0 million). Within each caregiver group, caregivers provided assistance with at least one task across domains of activity of daily living and instrumental activity of daily living-related assistance (>98%), health systems logistics (>70%), and health management (>50%). There was a significant linear association between number of tasks provided and risk of burden in virtually all caregiver groups and domains of assistance. Caregivers of care recipients without dementia or disability accounted for the largest absolute number of helpers. These caregivers, similar to caregivers of care recipients with dementia or disability, delivered a broad spectrum of health-related tasks and experienced caregiver burden and restrictions on social participation. Findings support the need for interventions that address the needs of caregivers

  4. The role of disability self-concept in adaptation to congenital or acquired disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogart, Kathleen R

    2014-02-01

    Current theories of adaptation to disability do not address differences in adaptation to congenital or acquired disability. Although people with congenital disabilities are generally assumed to be better adapted than people with acquired disabilities, few studies have tested this, and even fewer have attempted to explain the mechanisms behind these differences. This study tested the proposition that whether a disability is congenital or acquired plays an important role in the development of the disability self-concept (consisting of disability identity and disability self-efficacy), which in turn, affects satisfaction with life. It was predicted that disability self-concept would be better developed among people with congenital, compared with acquired disabilities, predicting greater satisfaction with life in those with acquired conditions. 226 participants with congenital and acquired mobility disabilities completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire measuring satisfaction with life, self-esteem, disability identity, disability self-efficacy, and demographic information. Self-esteem, disability identity, disability self-efficacy, and income were significant predictors of satisfaction with life. Congenital onset predicted higher satisfaction with life; disability identity and disability self-efficacy, but not self-esteem, partially mediated the relationship. Findings highlight the distinction between adaptation to congenital versus acquired disability and the importance of disability self-concept, which are underresearched constructs. Results suggest that rather than attempting to "normalize" individuals with disabilities, health care professionals should foster their disability self-concept. Possible ways to improve disability self-concept are discussed, such as involvement in the disability community and disability pride. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

  5. The impact of visual impairment on the ability to perform activities of daily living for persons with severe/profound intellectual disability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkhuizen, Annemarie; Hilgenkamp, Thessa I. M.; Krijnen, Wim P.; Schans, van der Cees P.; Waninge, Aly

    Background: The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) as a component of participation is one of the factors that contribute to quality of life. The ability to perform ADL for persons experiencing severe/profound intellectual disability (ID) may be reduced due to their cognitive and

  6. Shakespeare on old age and disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Covey, H

    2000-01-01

    The plays of William Shakespeare were reviewed for references to disabilities, aging and disability, and older characters with disabilities. Shakespeare's references draw from traditional cultural notions about older people with disabilities. These traditional notions include people with physical disabilities being evil, the entertainment value of disabilty, and those who were mentally ill being wild and animal-like. He viewed the aging process as disabling and old age as a time when individuals lost some abilities to function, particularly when it came to mental capacity and physical mobility. His writings show that he used disability as a literary tool to add dimension to characters and set them apart. Contemporary literature continues to share some of Shakespeare's view on aging and disability but also departs from them in important ways. For example, contemporary treatment of disabilities and aging places more emphasis on the human side of the affects of aging and disabilities. Disabilities and aging are not cast in the same negative terms as Shakespeare used.

  7. A Collaborative Action Research about Making Self-Advocacy Videos with People with Intellectual Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann-Louise Davidson

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the results of a collaborative action research conducted with people living with intellectual disabilities (ID who were going through a community integration process. To be successfully integrated into a community, they need to develop basic life skills as much as they need to learn to use mobile technologies for authentic interactions (Davidson, 2012 and to be self-advocates online (Davidson, 2009a. This study used the Capability Approach pioneered by Sen (1992 and Nussbaum (2000, which focusses on what people can do rather than on their deficiencies. I recruited a group of eight people with ID who wished to set goals, engage in developing new capabilities, share their goals and act as models for others with ID who want to learn to live on their own. In this article, I examine the process of developing self-advocacy videos with mobile technologies using the Capability Approach and I analyze the inventory of capabilities collected through this study. I provide recommendations for intervention through mobile technologies with the long term-goal of helping people with ID to become contributing citizens. I discuss the innovative action research methodology I used to help people with ID become self-advocates and take control of the messages they give through producing their own digital resources.

  8. Social Empowerment of Intellectually Impaired through a Cloud Mobile System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Freina

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available There is not a unique definition of “empowerment”, nevertheless the idea that it involves, on the one hand, people having control over their own lives and, on the other, some social aspects seems to be a common characteristic. Most authors recognize three levels of empowerment: individual, group, and community level, which are interconnected and changes at one level influence the others. Enhancing individual competence and self-esteem has a direct effect on the control of one’s own life and, in turn, on the social components of empowerment. In this paper we present Smart Angel, a project that aims at creating a network involving families, caregivers, experts, and tutors, as well as the final users and their friends, based on a mobile cloud system in support of both everyday living and urban mobility for people with medium-mild intellectual disabilities, with particular attention to the Down syndrome. The system can be seen as a tool to empower its users to be more independent and therefore increasing their possibility to have an active role in their life and an active participation to the community.

  9. Negotiating Identities: The Lives of Pakistani and Bangladeshi Young Disabled People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Islam, Zoebia

    2008-01-01

    Research has generally amalgamated minority ethnic (all called "Asian" or "black") disabled young people's experiences and failed to acknowledge the multiple aspects of Asian and black disabled identities, for example how the combined attributes of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, culture, class and disability shape their…

  10. 77 FR 24934 - Proposed Priority-National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Disability and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-26

    ... living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities.... Employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, and disability status, not seasonally adjusted... determination that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits and costs are difficult to...

  11. Developing the content of a locomotor disability scale for adults in Bangladesh: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmud, Ilias; Clarke, Lynda; Ploubidis, George B

    2017-01-01

    Bangladesh has an estimated 17 million adults with disabilities. A significant proportion of them are believed to have locomotor disabilities. There are over 300 non-governmental organizations providing different types of rehabilitation services to them. However, there is no locally developed and validated locomotor disability measurement scale in Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to develop a locomotor disability scale with disability indicators suitable for adults in Bangladesh. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 purposively selected adults with locomotor disabilities to generate scale items. At the second stage, cognitive interviews were conducted with 12 purposively selected adults with locomotor disabilities in order to refine the measurement questions and response categories. Data were analysed using the framework technique- identifying, abstracting, charting and matching themes across the interviews. For a locomotor disability scale, 70 activities (disability indicators) were identified: 37 mobility activities, 9 activities of daily living, 17 work/productivity activities and 7 leisure activities. Cognitive interviews revealed that when asking the respondents to rate their difficulty in performing the activities, instead of just mentioning the activity name, such as taking a bath or shower, a detailed description of the activity and response options were necessary to ensure consistent interpretation of the disability indicators and response options across all respondents. Identifying suitable disability indicators was the first step in developing a locomotor disability scale for adults in Bangladesh. Interviewing adults with locomotor disabilities in Bangladesh ensured that the locomotor disability scale is of relevance to them and consequently it has excellent content validity. Further research is needed to evaluate the psychometric properties of this scale.

  12. The impact of visual impairment on the ability to perform activities of daily living for persons with severe/profound intellectual disability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkhuizen, Annemarie; Hilgenkamp, Thessa I.M.; Krijnen, Wim; van der Schans, Cees; Waninge, Aly

    2015-01-01

    Background The ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) as a component of participation is one of the factors that contribute to the quality of life. The ability to perform ADL for persons experiencing severe/profound intellectual disability (ID) may be reduced due to their cognitive and

  13. Staging Mobilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole B.

    and lived as people are “staging themselves” (from below). Staging mobilities is a dynamic process between “being staged” (for example, being stopped at traffic lights) and the “mobile staging” of interacting individuals (negotiating a passage on the pavement). Staging Mobilities is about the fact...

  14. Impact of a new simplified disability scoring system for adult patients with localized scleroderma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okiyama, Naoko; Asano, Yoshihide; Hamaguchi, Yasuhito; Jinnin, Masatoshi; Motegi, Sei-Ichiro; Koizumi, Haruka; Hasegawa, Minoru; Ishikawa, Osamu; Sato, Shinichi; Takehara, Kazuhiko; Yamamoto, Toshiyuki; Fujimoto, Manabu; Ihn, Hironobu

    2018-04-01

    Localized scleroderma (LoS) involves dermal but not internal inflammation and fibrosis. Cosmetic changes often impact quality of life (QOL), however, impairment of activities of daily living (ADL) in LoS patients has not been investigated. To determine what factor(s) are associated with ADL in adult patients with LoS, we performed a retrospective observational study in 177 Japanese adult LoS patients using a novel LoS disability score based on Barthel's indices of ADL: feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing, bowels, bladder, toilet use, transfers, mobility and stairs. LoS disability scores increased in proportion to the number of affected body parts but were not correlated to age and duration of illness. The presence of leg lesions significantly impaired ADL of LoS patients compared with lesions on other body parts. Patients treated with systemic medications, who tended to have multiple lesions, presented higher LoS disability scores than those without systemic treatments. Our study proposes that physicians evaluate ADL, not only QOL, in LoS patients. Our findings using LoS disability scoring indicate that multiple affected body parts and leg lesions are risk factors for ADL impairment. © 2018 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  15. Trends and characteristics affecting disability among older Canadians living in private households

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel Vézina

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available As the first of the Boomers reach age 65 in 2011, it is of great interest to identify trends in disability to better predict future needs and resources within community care. This paper uses data from four national datasets to investigate trends in disability rates and examine socio-demographic characteristics associated with disability. Results show a decrease in the overall disability prevalence rate. However, no significant trend in levels of disability was identified for the period 1994/95–2000/01 when controlling for socio-demographic variables, suggesting stability in the probability of being disabled over time.

  16. Disability due to gouty arthritis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Klooster, Peter M.; Vonkeman, Harald Erwin; van de Laar, Mart A F J

    2012-01-01

    Gout-related disability is an underestimated and understudied problem. More qualitative and quantitative studies are needed that examine the concept of disability in gout and its impact on patients’ lives, both during and between disease flares. Moreover, future studies should try to identify

  17. Connecting Mobile Users Through Mobile Social Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faisal Alkhateeb

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, social networks become popular with the emerging of web-based social networking services. Recently, several mobile services are developed to connect users to their favourite social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. However, these services depends upon the existing web-based social networks. In this paper, we present a mobile service for joining groups across communities. The originality of the work is that the framework of the service allows creating and joining social networks that are self-contained for mobile company servers. The service consists of several sub-services such as users invitation, group finding and others. Users, regardless of their disability, can use the service and its sub-services without the need to create their own accounts on social web sites and thus their own groups. We also propose a privacy control policy for mobile social networks.

  18. Hypertension Among US Adults by Disability Status and Type, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2010

    OpenAIRE

    Stevens, Alissa; Courtney-Long, Elizabeth; Gillespie, Cathleen; Armour, Brian S.

    2014-01-01

    The prevalence of hypertension among people with disabilities is not well understood. We combined data from the 2001–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to obtain estimates of hypertension prevalence by disability status and type (cognitive, hearing, vision, or mobility limitation) and assess the association between disability and hypertension. Overall, 34% of adults with disabilities had hypertension compared with 27% of adults without disabilities; adults with mobility lim...

  19. Trends and characteristics affecting disability among older Canadians living in private households

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guillaume Lefrançois

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available As the first of the Boomers reach age 65 in 2011, it is of great interest to identify trends in disability to better predict future needs and resources within community care. This paper uses data from four national datasets to investigate trends in disability rates and examine socio-demographic characteristics associated with disability. Results show a decrease in the overall disability prevalence rate. However, no significant trend in levels of disability was identified for the period 1994/95–2000/01 when controlling for socio-demographic variables, suggesting stability in the probability of being disabled over time.

  20. Chronic disease, risk factors and disability in adults aged 50 and above living with and without HIV: findings from the Wellbeing of Older People Study in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph O. Mugisha

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Data on the prevalence of chronic conditions, their risk factors, and their associations with disability in older people living with and without HIV are scarce in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives: In older people living with and without HIV in sub-Saharan Africa: 1 to describe the prevalence of chronic conditions and their risk factors and 2 to draw attention to associations between chronic conditions and disability. Methods: Cross-sectional individual-level survey data from people aged 50 years and over living with and without HIV were analyzed from three study sites in Uganda. Diagnoses of chronic conditions were made through self-report, and disability was determined using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS. We used ordered logistic regression and calculated predicted probabilities to show differences in the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions across HIV status, age groups, and locality. We used linear regression to determine associations between chronic conditions and the WHODAS. Results: In total, 471 participants were surveyed; about half the respondents were living with HIV. The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and eye problems (except for those aged 60–69 years was higher in the HIV-positive participants and increased with age. The prevalence of diabetes and angina was higher in HIV-negative participants. The odds of having one or more compared with no chronic conditions were higher in women (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.3 and in those aged 70 years and above (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.6. Sleep problems (coefficient 14.2, 95% CI 7.3–21.0 and depression (coefficient 9.4, 95% CI 1.2–17.0 were strongly associated with higher disability scores. Conclusion: Chronic conditions are common in older adults and affect their functioning. Many of these conditions are not currently addressed by health services in Uganda. There is a need to revise health care policy and practice in Uganda to consider the

  1. Healthy living: A health promotion program for adults with intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Andrea; McPherson, Lyn; Urbanowicz, Anna

    2018-04-04

    Adults with intellectual disability are more likely to experience a range of physical and mental health problems in comparison to the general population. However with access to appropriate health care and promotion, many of these health problems can be prevented. To explore the perspectives of stakeholders of a health promotion program established for adults with intellectual disability. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 stakeholders of a health promotion program. Stakeholders included adults with intellectual disability (n = 6), their support persons (n = 4) and program presenters (n = 2). Adults with intellectual disability included three males and three females with a mean age of 45.5 years (range 37-51 years). Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes emerged from the data. The first theme highlights the positive feedback all stakeholders, especially adults with intellectual disability, had for the program and the second focuses on suggestions for changes to improve it. The third and final themes explore how having input from adults with intellectual disability and their support persons, who have a unique understanding of their needs, could be better incorporated into the development of the program. This health promotion program has been well received by people with intellectual disability when incorporated into their weekly social club meetings With encouragement and training, people with intellectual disability and their support workers could be more involved in the development of the program to ensure it is relevant to their needs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Community Living Skills Guide: Additional Activities for Nutrition, Cooking, Homemaking, and Family Living.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickovich, Marti; Kreps, Alice Roelofs

    These activities are intended to supplement materials for three courses available in the Community Living Skills Guide for the College for Living series: Cooking/Food Preparation (CE 024 475), Homemaking and Family Living (CE 024 477), and Nutrition (CE 024 484). These courses for developmentally disabled adults are intended to supplement…

  3. Health effects of living near mobile phone base transceiver station (BTS) antennae: a report from Isfahan, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahbazi-Gahrouei, Daryoush; Karbalae, Mojtaba; Moradi, Habib Allah; Baradaran-Ghahfarokhi, Milad

    2014-09-01

    In recent years, by tremendous use of mobile phone telecommunication, a growing concern about the possible health hazards has increased greatly among public and scientists. The mobile phone exposure has been shown to have many effects upon the immune functions, stimulating hormones, mammalian brain, sperm motility and morphology, and neurological pathologies syndrome. The aim of this study was to find out the psychological and psychobiological reactions of the people who are living near mobile phone base transceiver stations (BTS) antenna, in Isfahan, Iran. A cross-sectional study on 250 randomly selected inhabitants (133 women and 117 men) was performed in October 2012 till November 2012. The inhabitants were requested to complete a standardized questionnaire that focused on the relevant psychological and psychobiological reactions parameters. A computer program (SPSS version16.0, Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analysis using the Chi-square test with Yates correction. All the data were tested using a criterion level of p = 0.05. The results showed that most of the symptoms such as nausea, headache, dizziness, irritability, discomfort, nervousness, depression, sleep disturbance, memory loss and lowering of libido were statistically significant in the inhabitants living near the BTS antenna (300 m). It is suggested that cellular phone BTS antenna should not be sited closer than 300 m to populations to minimize exposure of neighbors.

  4. Improving VANETs Connectivity with a Totally Ad Hoc Living Mobile Backbone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joilson Alves Junior

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The vehicular ad hoc network (VANET for intelligent transportation systems is an emerging concept to improve transportation security, reliability, and management. The network behavior can be totally different in topological aspects because of the mobility of vehicular nodes. The topology can be fully connected when the flow of vehicles is high and may have low connectivity or be invalid when the flow of vehicles is low or unbalanced. In big cities, the metropolitan buses that travel on exclusive lanes may be used to set up a metropolitan vehicular data network (backbone, raising the connectivity among the vehicles. Therefore, this paper proposes the implementation of a living mobile backbone, totally ad hoc (MOB-NET, which will provide infrastructure and raise the network connectivity. In order to show the viability of MOB-NET, statistical analyses were made with real data of express buses that travel through exclusive lanes, besides evaluations through simulations and analytic models. The statistic, analytic, and simulation results prove that the buses that travel through exclusive lanes can be used to build a communication network totally ad hoc and provide connectivity in more than 99% of the time, besides raising the delivery rate up to 95%.

  5. Peace, justice and disabled women's advocacy: Tamil women with disabilities in rural post-conflict Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandasamy, Niro; Soldatic, Karen; Samararatne, Dinesha

    2017-03-01

    This article draws on grounded qualitative research with rural Tamil women who acquired a disability during the civil war in Sri Lanka and conceptualizes an intersectionality-peace framework. Three main themes were developed from the interviews: narratives of conflict, survival outcomes of social assistance and mobilization of cross-ethnic relationships. With the support of a local women's disability advocacy organization, Tamil women with disabilities were enabled to overcome social stigma and claim a positive identity as women with disabilities. The organization's focus on realizing disability rights created new opportunities for these highly marginalized rural women. The women were also supported to form cross-ethnic relationships with women who similarly faced multiple oppressions. These relationships transformed the women into 'agents of peace', using their newfound disability identity to foster cross-ethnic dialogue and create safe spaces in the post-conflict context.

  6. The roles of adult siblings in the lives of people with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Sarah A; Rossetti, Zach

    2018-05-01

    Siblings of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often assume key roles to support their brothers and sisters. For people with more significant support needs, siblings may undertake additional roles and responsibilities throughout their lives. The purpose of the present study was to identify and describe the roles of adult siblings who have a brother or sister with severe IDD. Seventy-nine adult siblings from 19 to 72 years of age completed an online survey with open-ended questions about the roles they play in their relationships with their brother or sister. Thematic analysis resulted in identification of several roles including caregiver, friend (social partner), advocate, legal representative, sibling (teacher/role model), leisure planner and informal service coordinator. Siblings assume key roles in the lives of people with IDD and need support from family and professionals to perform these roles. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Information Access for Disabled Students

    OpenAIRE

    Cypaite, Asta; Šerkšnien, Justina; Rudžioniene, Jurgita

    2008-01-01

    Disabled students who makes relatively small part of the academic society are in risk to disappear among all other students, due to their communication and mobility difficulties have less possibilities to satisfy their needs, ensuring their rights to qualitative studies, equal opportunities in the labor market and social integration. A topic about information accessibility for disabled students is extremely important because of their information exclusion in their study process at the un...

  8. A model for the development of virtual communities for people with long-term, severe physical disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C.M. Tilley

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. This paper reports results of an investigation into the needs of persons with disabilities wanting to participate in the use of virtual communities. The aim was to investigate 'how virtual communities for persons with long-term, severe physical disabilities can best be facilitated'? Method. A Grounded Theory approach was adopted to inform the investigation. In- depth interviews were conducted with twelve persons with paraplegia, quadriplegia or other severe, long-term physical or mobility disabilities and six health care professionals, service providers, information personnel and policy advisers who were involved in their well-being. Analysis. Rich explanations were derived about the information and communication technology (ICT usage and the technologies' contributions towards restoration of sense of control over their lives. Results. The primary outcome of the investigation is a theory regarding the character of virtual communities for the disabled. The theory is represented as a Virtual Community Model. The model identifies: the need for 'a sense of control' as the foundation element of virtual communities for the disabled; the key domains in which disabled people participate in virtual communities; and the barriers and enablers to their participation. Conclusion. The model provides a framework which can be used by interest groups and other organizations to facilitate the development of virtual communities for persons with severe physical disabilities. The six key types of community need to be represented in such virtual communities if a full 'sense of control' is to be achieved by disabled persons.

  9. Criterion-Referenced Values of Grip Strength and Usual Gait Speed Using Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Disability as the Criterion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Meng-Chih; Hsu, Chih-Cheng; Tsai, Yi-Fen; Chen, Ching-Yu; Lin, Cheng-Chieh; Wang, Ching-Yi

    Current evidence suggests that grip strength and usual gait speed (UGS) are important predictors of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability. Knowing the optimum cut points of these tests for discriminating people with and without IADL disability could help clinicians or researchers to better interpret the test results and make medical decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine the cutoff values of grip strength and UGS for best discriminating community-dwelling older adults with and without IADL disability, separately for men and women, and to investigate their association with IADL disability. We conducted secondary data analysis on a national dataset collected in the Sarcopenia and Translational Aging Research in Taiwan (START). The data used in this study consisted of health data of 2420 community-dwelling older adults 65 years and older with no history of stroke and with complete data. IADL disability was defined as at least 1 IADL item scored as "need help" or "unable to perform." Receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to estimate the optimum grip strength and UGS cut points for best discriminating older adults with/without IADL disability. The association between each physical performance (grip strength and UGS) and IADL disability was assessed with odds ratios (ORs). With IADL disability as the criterion, the optimal cutoff values of grip strength were 28.7 kg for men and 16.0 kg for women, and those for UGS were 0.76 m/s for men and 0.66 m/s for women. The grip strength test showed satisfactory discriminant validity (area under the curve > 0.7) in men and a strong association with IADL disability (OR > 4). Our cut points using IADL disability as the criterion were close to those indicating frailty or sarcopenia. Our reported cutoffs can serve as criterion-referenced values, along with those previously determined using different indicators, and provide important landmarks on the performance continua of older adults

  10. No difference between fixed- and mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty in activities of daily living and pain: a randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amaro, Joicemar Tarouco; Arliani, Gustavo Gonçalves; Astur, Diego Costa; Debieux, Pedro; Kaleka, Camila Cohen; Cohen, Moises

    2017-06-01

    Until now, there are no definitive conclusions regarding functional differences related to middle- and long-term everyday activities and patient pain following implantation of mobile- and fixed-platform tibial prostheses. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are middle-term differences in knee function and pain in patients undergoing fixed- and mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Eligible patients were randomized into two groups: the first group received TKA implantation with a fixed tibial platform (group A); the second group received TKA with a mobile tibial platform (group B). Patients were followed up (2 years), and their symptoms and limitations in daily living activities were evaluated using the Knee Outcome Survey-Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADLS), in addition to pain evaluation assessed using the pain visual analogue scale (VAS). There were no significant differences in function and symptoms in the ADLS and VAS between the study groups. The type of platform used in TKA (fixed vs. mobile) does not change the symptoms, function or pain of patients 2 years post-surgery. Although mobile TKAs may have better short-term results, at medium- and long-term follow-up they do not present important clinical differences compared with fixed-platform TKAs. This information is important so that surgeons can choose the most suitable implant for each patient. Randomized clinical trial, Level I.

  11. Prevalence and features of ICF-disability in Spain as captured by the 2008 National Disability Survey

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maierhofer Sarah

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Since 1986, the study of disability in Spain has been mainly addressed by National Disability Surveys (NDSs. While international attempts to frame NDS designs within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF have progressed, in general, the ICF has hardly been used in either the NDS or epidemiological studies. This study sought to identify ICF Activity- and Participation-related content in the most recent Spanish NDS, the 2008 Survey on Disabilities, Independence and Dependency Situations (Encuesta sobre discapacidades, autonomía personal y situaciones de Dependencia - EDAD 2008, and estimate the prevalence of such ICF-framed disability. Methods EDAD 2008 methods and questions were perused. Of the 51 EDAD items analysed, 29 were backcoded to specific d2-d7 domains of the ICF Checklist and, by rating the recorded difficulty to perform specific tasks with or without help, these were then taken as performance and capacity respectively. A global ICF score was also derived, albeit lacking data for d1, "Learning and applying knowledge", d8, "Major Life Areas" and d9, "Community, Social and Civic Life". Data were grouped by sex, age, residence and initial positive screening, and prevalence figures were calculated by disability level both for the general population, using the originally designed weights, and for the population that had screened positive to disability. Data for institutionalised persons were processed separately. Results Crude prevalence of ICF severe/complete and moderate disability among the community-dwelling population aged ≥6 years was 0.9%-2.2% respectively, and that of severe/complete disability among persons living in sheltered accommodation was 0.3%. Prevalence of severe/complete disability was: higher in women than in men, 0.8% vs. 0.4%; increased with age; and was particularly high in domains such as "Domestic Life", 3.4%, "Mobility", 1.8%, and "Self-care", 1.9%, in

  12. Prevalence and features of ICF-disability in Spain as captured by the 2008 National Disability Survey

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Since 1986, the study of disability in Spain has been mainly addressed by National Disability Surveys (NDSs). While international attempts to frame NDS designs within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) have progressed, in general, the ICF has hardly been used in either the NDS or epidemiological studies. This study sought to identify ICF Activity- and Participation-related content in the most recent Spanish NDS, the 2008 Survey on Disabilities, Independence and Dependency Situations (Encuesta sobre discapacidades, autonomía personal y situaciones de Dependencia - EDAD 2008), and estimate the prevalence of such ICF-framed disability. Methods EDAD 2008 methods and questions were perused. Of the 51 EDAD items analysed, 29 were backcoded to specific d2-d7 domains of the ICF Checklist and, by rating the recorded difficulty to perform specific tasks with or without help, these were then taken as performance and capacity respectively. A global ICF score was also derived, albeit lacking data for d1, "Learning and applying knowledge", d8, "Major Life Areas" and d9, "Community, Social and Civic Life". Data were grouped by sex, age, residence and initial positive screening, and prevalence figures were calculated by disability level both for the general population, using the originally designed weights, and for the population that had screened positive to disability. Data for institutionalised persons were processed separately. Results Crude prevalence of ICF severe/complete and moderate disability among the community-dwelling population aged ≥6 years was 0.9%-2.2% respectively, and that of severe/complete disability among persons living in sheltered accommodation was 0.3%. Prevalence of severe/complete disability was: higher in women than in men, 0.8% vs. 0.4%; increased with age; and was particularly high in domains such as "Domestic Life", 3.4%, "Mobility", 1.8%, and "Self-care", 1.9%, in which prevalence decreased

  13. Physical Activity Attenuates Total and Cardiovascular Mortality Associated With Physical Disability: A National Cohort of Older Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Gomez, David; Guallar-Castillon, Pilar; Higueras-Fresnillo, Sara; Garcia-Esquinas, Esther; Lopez-Garcia, Esther; Bandinelli, Stefania; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

    2018-01-16

    Regular physical activity (PA) has been shown to protect against disability onset but, once the disability is present, it is unclear if PA might attenuate its harmful health consequences. Thus, we examined if mortality risk associated with physical disability can be offset by PA among older adults. We used data from a cohort of 3,752 individuals representative of the noninstitutionalized population aged 60 years and older in Spain. In 2000-2001, participants self-reported both PA levels (inactive, occasionally, monthly, weekly) and five physical disabilities (agility, mobility, global daily activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and self-care). Individuals were prospectively followed through 2014 to assess incident deaths. The mean follow-up was 10.8 years, with a total of 1,727 deaths, 638 of them due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). All disability types were associated with higher total and CVD mortality. Being physically active (ie, doing any PA) was associated with a statistically significant 26%-37% and 35%-50% lower risk of total and CVD death, respectively, across types of disability. As compared with those being physically active and without disability, those who were inactive and had a disability showed the highest mortality risk from total (hazard ratios from 1.52 to 1.90 across disabilities, all p disability. In older adults, PA could attenuate the increased risk of mortality associated with physical disability. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Who gets the disability grant in South Africa? An analysis of the characteristics of recipients in urban and rural areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jelsma, Jennifer; Maart, Soraya; Eide, Arne; Toni, Mzolisi; Loeb, Mitch

    2008-01-01

    This study was to establish whether there was a difference in the characteristics of people who received a disability grant and those who did not in rural and urban samples of isiXhosa-speaking people with disability in South Africa. The sample was a convenience sample and was identified through a 'snowballing' process. A demographic survey and isiXhosa versions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and EQ-5D, a health-related quality of life measure were utilized. The sample consisted of 244 rural and 61 urban respondents, demonstrating a preponderance of physical disabilities. The groups who received or did not receive grants were equivalent in terms of age, gender, marital status and employment status. A significantly higher proportion of rural dwellers accessed the grant. The grant holders displayed significantly more problems related to mobility and to technology and policies and services relating to mobility and transport. Those who did not receive grants reported more barriers with regard to the attitudes of health workers but not with regard to any other aspect of social support. The majority of men and women with disability identified in this study received the grant, whether or not they lived in remote rural or in urban areas. As there were few differences between the groups, it is likely that several non-grant holders might qualify if they were informed of the grant and applied. The role of medical doctors as 'gatekeepers' to the grant might need to be examined.

  15. Accessing and operating agricultural machinery: Advancements in assistive technology for users with impaired mobility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehlers, Shawn G; Field, William E

    2018-02-14

    This research focused on the advancements made in enabling agricultural workers with impaired mobility to access and operate off-road agricultural machinery. Although not a new concept, technological advancements in remote-controlled lifts, electronic actuators, electric over hydraulic controllers, and various modes of hand controls have advanced significantly, allowing operators with limited mobility to resume a high level of productivity in agricultural-related enterprises. In the United States, approximately 1.7% of the population is living with some form of paralysis or significant mobility impairment. When paired with the 2012 USDA Agriculture Census of 3.2 million farmers, it can be extrapolated that these technologies could impact 54,000 agricultural workers who have encountered disabling injuries or disease, which inhibit their ability to access and operate tractors, combines, and other self-propelled agricultural machines. Advancements in agricultural-specific technologies can allow for many of these individuals to regain the ability to effectively operate machinery once more.

  16. Mobility decline in old age

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, C.J.; Siersma, V.; Mänty, Minna Regina

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Mobility-related fatigue and low socioeconomic position predicts mobility limitations and disability in old age, but the interplay between these two factors is unknown. To evaluate whether mobility-related fatigue is a stronger risk factor for mobility limitations in certain...... socioeconomic groups, the aim of this study was to examine the combined effect of mobility-related fatigue and socioeconomic position on mobility limitations in a prospective study among older Danish men and women. METHODS: Multivariate linear regression models with combined exposure variables using generalised...... estimating equations were performed using four waves of data on 2874 individuals without mobility limitations at baseline from The Danish Intervention Study on Preventive Home Visits. RESULTS: Low socioeconomic position and mobility-related fatigue are risk factors for mobility limitations in old age...

  17. Performance Poetry as a Method to Understand Disability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee-Ann Fenge

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The Seen but Seldom Heard project was a performative social science (PSS project which used performance poetry to illuminate the experiences of young people with physical impairments. Two performance poets, a group of young people with physical impairments, and academics from social science and media/communication backgrounds worked together to explore various aspects of the lived experience of disability exploring issues associated with identity, stereotypes, stigma and representation. In this article, we will present an overview of the project and consider how PSS offers a method to engage seldom heard voices, and illustrate this through two poems which shed light on the lived experience of disability. The article will consider the impact of these poems as PSS, and how this method allows the audience to develop a deeper understanding of the "lived" experience of disability and to reflect upon their own understandings of disability and discrimination. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1602118

  18. Investigation of different classifiers and channel configurations of a mobile P300-based brain-computer interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludwig, Simone A; Kong, Jun

    2017-12-01

    Innovative methods and new technologies have significantly improved the quality of our daily life. However, disabled people, for example those that cannot use their arms and legs anymore, often cannot benefit from these developments, since they cannot use their hands to interact with traditional interaction methods (such as mouse or keyboard) to communicate with a computer system. A brain-computer interface (BCI) system allows such a disabled person to control an external device via brain waves. Past research mostly dealt with static interfaces, which limit users to a stationary location. However, since we are living in a world that is highly mobile, this paper evaluates a speller interface on a mobile phone used in a moving condition. The spelling experiments were conducted with 14 able-bodied subjects using visual flashes as the stimulus to spell 47 alphanumeric characters (38 letters and 9 numbers). This data was then used for the classification experiments. In par- ticular, two research directions are pursued. The first investigates the impact of different classification algorithms, and the second direction looks at the channel configuration, i.e., which channels are most beneficial in terms of achieving the highest classification accuracy. The evaluation results indicate that the Bayesian Linear Discriminant Analysis algorithm achieves the best accuracy. Also, the findings of the investigation on the channel configuration, which can potentially reduce the amount of data processing on a mobile device with limited computing capacity, is especially useful in mobile BCIs.

  19. Disability, and social and economic inclusion: who is in and out of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme?

    OpenAIRE

    Cebulla, Andreas; Zhu, Rong

    2015-01-01

    A new National Disability Insurance Scheme is being trialled in Australia, following criticism of the fragmented and inequitable nature of existing disability supports (e.g. in the 2009 ‘Shut Out’ report by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council) and reform recommendations made by the Australian Government's Productivity Commission in 2011. The Insurance Scheme distinguishes between people living with disability who will be eligible for different types of supports: either mai...

  20. Prevalence of Disability and Relevant Risk Factors In Elderly Dwellers in Isfahan Province-2012

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zamane Vafaei

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Due to the increasing elderly population in the country, this study was conducted to determine the level of disability and associated factors, in order to plan for the prevention of disability and reduce the effects of aging. Methods & Materials: This study was conducted through cross-sectional, descriptive analysis and cluster sampling method among 300 patients aged 60 years and older in 8 districts of 14 urban areas of Esfahan. The Data was collected through face to face interviews at elderly people's home. The data collection tool was a questionnaire consisted of two parts: The first section contained demographic, socioeconomic, disease and the needs of the studied population and the second part WHODAS (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule standard questionnaire, from the World Health Organization resources. The data were analysed through descriptive and analytic statistics. Results: The mean age of the total study population were 71.4 years old, and the median age was 70 years. Among the studied population 15.7 had no disability and most of them (33.3% were suffering from low levels of disability. The highest rate of people without disabilities - regardless of employed people - reffered to cope and live with other people (63.3%. However, the highest rate of severe disability was related to the mobility and doing the daily duties (25.3%. Disability scores increased with age (r=0.4 and decreased significantly with income enhancement (r=-0.3. Moreover, women, widows, those who were living with people other than family, illiteracy and workers had a significantly more disability. Considering disorders and diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, urinary and faecal incontinence, speech disorder, brain stroke, ataxia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, cognitive and memory disorders were more severe disabilities. So that the mean disability score (out of 100 in patients with the musculoskeletal diseases was approximately

  1. Assessing functional impairment in siblings living with children with disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goudie, Anthony; Havercamp, Susan; Jamieson, Barry; Sahr, Timothy

    2013-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to empirically test if siblings of children with disability had higher levels of parent-reported behavioral and emotional functional impairment compared with a peer group of siblings residing with only typically developing children. This was a retrospective secondary analysis of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We included only households with at least 2 children to ensure sibling relationships. Two groups of siblings were formed: 245 siblings resided in households with a child with disability and 6564 siblings resided in households with typically developing children. Parents responded to questions from the Columbia Impairment Scale to identify functional impairment in their children. On the basis of parent reports and after adjusting for sibling demographic characteristics and household background, siblings of children with disability were more likely than siblings residing with typically developing children to have problems with interpersonal relationships, psychopathological functioning, functioning at school, and use of leisure time (P siblings of children with disability classified with significant functional impairment was 16.0% at the first measurement period and 24.2% at the second (P siblings of typically developing children there was a smaller percentage increase from 9.5% to 10.3% (P mental health services and, as such, early assessment and interventions to limit increasing severity and short- to long-term consequences need to be addressed. Health care professionals need to consider a family-based health care approach for families raising children with disability.

  2. Empowering the disabled through savings groups: Experimental evidence from Uganda.

    OpenAIRE

    Bjorvatn, Kjetil; Tungodden, Bertil

    2018-01-01

    We report from the first randomized controlled trial of a development program targeting people with disabilities: a village savings‐ and loans program in rural Uganda. We find that it has had a strong, positive impact on the lives of the disabled participants, through providing access to financial services and strengthening locus of control. Our results suggest that such programs may represent a promising tool to empowering people living with disabilities in developing countries, but al...

  3. GIS Application Management for Disabled People

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tongkaw, Sasalak

    2017-08-01

    This research aimed to develop and design Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for facilitating disabled people by presenting some useful disabled information on the Google Map. The map could provide information about disabled types of people such as blind, deaf and physical movement. This research employed the Multiview 2 theory and method to plan and find out the problems in real world situation. This research used many designing data structure methods such as Data Flow Diagram, and ER-Diagram. The research focused into two parts: server site and client site which included the interface for Web-based application. The clear information of disable people on the map was useful for facilitating disabled people to find some useful information. In addition, it provided specialized data for company and government officers for managing and planning local facilities for disabled people in the cities. The disable could access the system through the Internet access at any time by using mobile or portable devices.

  4. Caring for independent lives: geographies of caring for young adults with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Power, Andrew

    2008-09-01

    This paper engages with the emerging disciplinary clash between 'care' and 'independence' within disability studies by examining the geography of home care for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The care system as a whole is viewed as central to disablist structures within disability studies (see Thomas, C. (2007). Sociologies of disability and illness: Contested ideas in disability studies and medical sociology. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.). However, despite the theorisation of dependency as being in antipathy to the goals of the disability movement, caregiving at home still continues to dominate community care. The paper attempts to address how family carers are 'caught-in-the-middle' between their 'duty' to care and at the same time, perpetuating dependency; the reality being that parents have to deal with issues of being overprotective and confronting various social assumptions about disability. It examines the narratives from 25 family caregivers in Ireland who provide personal assistance to young adults with intellectual disabilities.

  5. Access Constraints Experienced by Physically Disabled Students at a South African Higher Education Institution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engelbrecht, L.; de Beer, J. J.

    2014-01-01

    Current developments in government law and policies have created the hope that people living with a disability will enjoy the same rights and privileges as the non-disabled. Unfortunately, only 2.8% of disabled persons have access to higher education. The aim of this study was to determine if a group of students, living with a physical disability,…

  6. Big Society? Disabled people with the label of learning disabilities and the queer(y)ing of civil society

    OpenAIRE

    Goodley, Dan; Runswick-Cole, Katherine

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores the shifting landscape of civil society alongside the emergence of ‘Big Society’ in the UK. We do so as we begin a research project Big Society? Disabled people with learning disabilities and Civil Society [Economic and Social Research Council (ES/K004883/1)]; we consider what ‘Big Society’ might mean for the lives of disabled people labelled with learning disabilities (LDs). In the paper, we explore the ways in which the disabled body/mind might be thought of as a locus o...

  7. Enhanced living environments from models to technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Dobre, Ciprian; Ganchev, Ivan; Garcia, Nuno; Goleva, Rossitza Ivanova

    2017-01-01

    Enhanced living environments employ information and communications technologies to support true ambient assisted living for people with disabilities. This book provides an overview of today's architectures, techniques, protocols, components, and cloud-based solutions related to ambient assisted living and enhanced living environments.

  8. SCHOOL INTEGRATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lioara-Bianca BUBOIU

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The right to education is a fundamental right that should not be and can not be denied to any child regardless of his condition of normality or deviation from it. The historic route of educational policies regarding the children with disabilities experienced a positive evolution, from denying the possibility of attending a mainstream school, to current policies of integration and inclusion based on the idea of equal opportunities The rejection of what is considered atypical, unknown, strange, unusual, is the result of perpetuating stereotypes, prejudices regarding the disability, constituting signs of less advanced societies. Is the duty of society to accept children / people with disabilities as part of the reality that surrounds us, and try by all means not to turn a disable child into one normal child, but to normalize the conditions of his life, to give him the possibility to live the same social and school experiences that live any other typically child.

  9. Developing Inclusive Technical Capital beyond the Disabled Students’ Allowance in England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Hayhoe

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA is a government grant for students aged 18 years and over in English Higher Education. Amongst other things, this grant supports the provision of traditional assistive technologies. In April 2014, the UK’s Minister for Universities, Science and Cities proposed cuts to the DSA. Although a later announcement delayed these cuts until the academic year 2016−2017, a number of universities are already preparing alternative means to support disabled students. In this article, it is argued that cuts to the DSA will potentially reduce the cultural and technical capitals of students with disabilities and lessen social inclusion in Higher Education. In particular, less support will potentially lead to a reduction in the development of study skills. As a counter weight, this article proposes a new model of inclusive technical capital. This model originates in Bourdieu’s theory of cultural capital and habitus. The proposed model supports the use of native apps and settings in ubiquitous mainstream mobile technologies. It also espouses the use of m-learning for the passive inclusion of students with disabilities. This article also presents the early results of a project on the use of mobile technologies at the London School of Economics and Canterbury Christ Church University. This project found that students with disabilities and their lecturers already used mobile technologies alongside or instead of customized traditional assistive technologies. The project also found that students preferred not to attend, or found it difficult to attend, separate study skills courses using mobile technologies. However, they were more likely to access m-learning tutorial materials on Learning Management Systems. The study concludes that mobile technologies have the potential to develop a number of study skills that are at risk after cuts to the DSA. However, their use in this regard needs further research and support from

  10. Rehabilitation as a Disability Equality Issue: A Conceptual Shift for Disability Studies?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tom Shakespeare

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Rehabilitation is a controversial subject in disability studies, often discussed in terms of oppression, normalisation, and unwanted intrusion. While there may be good reasons for positioning rehabilitation in this way, this has also meant that, as a lived experience, it is under-researched and neglected in disabilities literature, as we show by surveying leading disability studies journals. With some notable exceptions, rehabilitation research has remained the preserve of the rehabilitation sciences, and such studies have rarely included the voices of disabled people themselves, as we also demonstrate by surveying a cross-section of rehabilitation science literature. Next, drawing on new research, we argue for reframing access to rehabilitation as a disability equality issue. Through in-depth discussion of two case studies, we demonstrate that rehabilitation can be a tool for inclusion and for supporting an equal life. Indeed, we contend that rehabilitation merits disability researchers’ sustained engagement, precisely to ensure that a ‘right-based rehabilitation’ policy and practice can be developed, which is not oppressive, but reflects the views and experiences of the disabled people who rehabilitation should serve.

  11. A qualitative study of in-home robotic telepresence for home care of community-living elderly subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boissy, Patrick; Corriveau, Hélène; Michaud, François; Labonté, Daniel; Royer, Marie-Pier

    2007-01-01

    We examined the requirements for robots in home telecare using two focus groups. The first comprised six healthcare professionals involved in geriatric care and the second comprised six elderly people with disabilities living in the community. The concept of an in-home telepresence robot was illustrated using a photograph of a mobile robot, and participants were then asked to suggest potential health care applications. Interview data derived from the transcript of each group discussion were analyzed using qualitative induction based on content analysis. The analyses yielded statements that were categorized under three themes: potential applications, usability issues and user requirements. Teleoperated mobile robotic systems in the home were thought to be useful in assisting multidisciplinary patient care through improved communication between patients and healthcare professionals, and offering respite and support to caregivers under certain conditions. The shift from a traditional hospital-centred model of care in geriatrics to a home-based model creates opportunities for using telepresence with mobile robotic systems in home telecare.

  12. Cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people : Results of a cluster randomized trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suijker, Jacqueline J.; MacNeil-Vroomen, Janet L.; van Rijn, Marjon; Buurman, Bianca M.; de Rooij, Sophia E.; van Charente, Eric P. Moll; Bosmans, Judith E.

    2017-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people in comparison with usual care. Methods We conducted cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses alongside a cluster randomized trial with one-year

  13. Cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people: Results of a cluster randomized trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suijker, Jacqueline J.; MacNeil-Vroomen, Janet L.; van Rijn, Marjon; Buurman, Bianca M.; de Rooij, Sophia E.; Moll van Charante, Eric P.; Bosmans, Judith E.

    2017-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people in comparison with usual care. Methods We conducted cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses alongside a cluster randomized trial with one-year

  14. Cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people : Results of a cluster randomized trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suijker, Jacqueline J; MacNeil-Vroomen, Janet L; van Rijn, Marjon; Buurman, Bianca M; de Rooij, Sophia E; Moll van Charante, Eric P; Bosmans, Judith E

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people in comparison with usual care. METHODS: We conducted cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses alongside a cluster randomized trial with one-year

  15. [Impact of rural or urban areas on disability after a stroke].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortega-Barrio, M Ángeles; Herce-Martínez, M Begoña; Valiñas-Sieiro, Florita; Mariscal-Pérez, Natividad; López-Cunquero, M Ángeles; Cubo-Delgado, Esther

    2013-01-01

    To assess the residual disability in a sample of patients after suffering a first episode of a stroke and to compare the disability of those patients who live in rural areas with those living in urban areas. An observational, longitudinal study of a cohort of 89 patients from a Neurology Unit, affected by cerebrovascular accident. The following factors were assessed: sociodemographic and environmental factors, co-morbidity, functional status, disability, depression and anxiety, and quality of life. The different clinical and demographic variables were compared after admission to the unit, at hospital discharge, and 3 months afterwards. Regression analyses were also carried out in order to study the association between the clinical and sociodemographic factors, and post-stroke disability. Compared to their previous clinical state, after suffering a stroke patients showed a higher rate of co-morbidity (P<.0001), disability (P<.0001), depression (P=.002), and a poorer quality of life (P=.013). The difference between patients coming from rural and urban areas was not statistically significant in terms of disability, quality of life, anxiety, depression, or co-morbidity. The level of disability, depression and co-morbidity that patients showed after suffering a stroke was similar to the results obtained in other studies. As a novel feature, there were no differences between patients living in rural areas after suffering a stroke and those living in urban areas, as regards disability, depression, or co-morbidity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  16. Re-Envisioning Religious Education in Light of Persons with "Disabilities"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kyle, Eric J.

    2013-01-01

    The lived experience of persons with disabilities necessarily challenges our understandings of religious education. In this article, the author reviews how the marginalized lives of persons with disabilities might lead us to re-envision how religious education is defined and embodied in Western Christian communities. Based on this, suggestions are…

  17. Quality of Life among Persons with Physical Disability in Udupi Taluk: A Cross Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuvalekar, Kunal; Kamath, Ramachandra; Ashok, Lena; Shetty, Bhartesh; Mayya, Shreemathi; Chandrasekaran, Varalakshmi

    2015-01-01

    Disability is not just a health problem or attribute of individuals, but it reflects the problems individuals experience in their interaction with society and physical movements. Disabled persons remain neglected part of society and they also experience various barriers due to restriction of participation. The aim was to assess the quality of life (QOL) of physically disabled persons, the impact of physical disability on activities of daily living (ADL) and to study the awareness about laws and facilities available for disabled persons. A cross-sectional community based study was conducted among 130 physical disabled persons who were selected using convenience sampling technique. The WHO BREF scale was used to assess QOL, while assessment of ADL was done using Barthel Index. Socio-demographic assessment was done using Udai Pareek scale. SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyze data. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. As per guidelines physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain scores for WHO BREF scale were calculated. Among the study participants, 36.2% had a disability from birth that is, congenital. The second common cause of disability was found to be postpolio residual paralysis as it was found among 26.2% respondents. Other causes found were stroke/paralysis and accidents, in 19.2% and 18.5% respondents, respectively. Activities such as transfer, mobility, and stair climbing showed greater impact of physical disability. It was found that 11.5% respondents required help in one of the ADL. QOL score was found to be low under the psychological domain reflecting on negative feelings, bodily image, appearance, spirituality, and self-esteem of respondents. Physical disability had affected social participation as well as marriage of the respondents. However, it was found that very few of them are aware about facilities provided under persons with disability act.

  18. Quality of life among persons with physical disability in udupi taluk: A cross sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kunal Kuvalekar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Disability is not just a health problem or attribute of individuals, but it reflects the problems individuals experience in their interaction with society and physical movements. Disabled persons remain neglected part of society and they also experience various barriers due to restriction of participation. Objectives: The aim was to assess the quality of life (QOL of physically disabled persons, the impact of physical disability on activities of daily living (ADL and to study the awareness about laws and facilities available for disabled persons. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community based study was conducted among 130 physical disabled persons who were selected using convenience sampling technique. The WHO BREF scale was used to assess QOL, while assessment of ADL was done using Barthel Index. Socio-demographic assessment was done using Udai Pareek scale. SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyze data. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. As per guidelines physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain scores for WHO BREF scale were calculated. Results: Among the study participants, 36.2% had a disability from birth that is, congenital. The second common cause of disability was found to be postpolio residual paralysis as it was found among 26.2% respondents. Other causes found were stroke/paralysis and accidents, in 19.2% and 18.5% respondents, respectively. Activities such as transfer, mobility, and stair climbing showed greater impact of physical disability. It was found that 11.5% respondents required help in one of the ADL. QOL score was found to be low under the psychological domain reflecting on negative feelings, bodily image, appearance, spirituality, and self-esteem of respondents. Conclusion: Physical disability had affected social participation as well as marriage of the respondents. However, it was found that very few of them are aware about facilities provided under

  19. Disability and health outcomes - from a cohort of people on long-term anti-retroviral therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myezwa, Hellen; Hanass-Hancock, Jill; Ajidahun, Adedayo Tunde; Carpenter, Bradley

    2018-12-01

    Human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains a major health problem in South Africa - even after two decades since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Long-term survival with HIV is associated with new health-related issues and a risk of functional limitation/disability. The aim of this study was to assess functional limitation associated with HIV/AIDS among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in South Africa. This study is a cross-sectional survey using a cohort in an urban area in Gauteng province, South Africa. Data were collected using questionnaires through an interview process. The information collected included aspects such as demographics, livelihood, the state of mental and physical health, adherence and disability. A total of 1044 participants with an average age of 42 ± 12 years were included in the study, with 51.9% of the participants reporting functional limitations (WHODAS ≥ 2). These were reported mainly in the domains of participation (40.2%) and mobility (38.7%). In addition, adherence to ART, symptoms of poor physical health and depression were strongly associated with their functional limitations/disability. HIV as a chronic disease is associated with functional limitations that are not adequately addressed and pose a risk of long-term disability and negative adherence outcomes. Therefore, wellness for PLHIV/AIDS needs to include interventions that can prevent and manage disability.

  20. The thickness of the A1 pulleys reflects the disability of hand mobility in scleroderma. A pilot study using high-frequency ultrasound

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tagliafico, Alberto, E-mail: atagliafico@sirm.org [Department of Radiology, National Institute for Cancer Research, Genova (Italy); Panico, Nicoletta [Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova (Italy); Serafini, Giovanni [Department of Radiology, Santa Corona Hospital, Pietra Ligure (Italy); Ghio, Massimo [Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genova, Genova (Italy); Martinoli, Carlo [Department of Radiology, University of Genova, Genova (Italy)

    2011-02-15

    Background: Hand involvement in scleroderma is a serious concern. Clinical tests to asses hand dysfunction are based on the experience of the clinician. Objective: To asses if utrasonographic (US) measurement of A1 pulley thickness may be used as an indicator of hand mobility in scleroderma. Materials and methods: Institutional review board approval and patient informed consent was obtained. Twenty-eight patients affected suffering from scleroderma and 40 healthy controls were prospectively evaluated by two blinded radiologists with US, with a transducer operating at 17 MHz. A1 pulley thickness was measured and correlated with the Hand Mobility in Scleroderma Test (HAMIS) and disease duration. Results: The thickness of the A1 pulley was greater in sclerodermic patients than in controls (p < 0.05). Intra and inter-observer agreement were better for ultrasound (0.94;0.88) than for HAMIS tests (0.71;0.70). A good correlation between pulley thickness, hand mobility and disease duration was found (r = 0.78, p < 0.018; r = 0.54, p < 0.05). Conclusion: A1 pulley thickness measured on ultrasound correlates with hand mobility and disease duration. Ultrasound is an useful tool to evaluate hand disability in scleroderma.

  1. The thickness of the A1 pulleys reflects the disability of hand mobility in scleroderma. A pilot study using high-frequency ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tagliafico, Alberto; Panico, Nicoletta; Serafini, Giovanni; Ghio, Massimo; Martinoli, Carlo

    2011-01-01

    Background: Hand involvement in scleroderma is a serious concern. Clinical tests to asses hand dysfunction are based on the experience of the clinician. Objective: To asses if utrasonographic (US) measurement of A1 pulley thickness may be used as an indicator of hand mobility in scleroderma. Materials and methods: Institutional review board approval and patient informed consent was obtained. Twenty-eight patients affected suffering from scleroderma and 40 healthy controls were prospectively evaluated by two blinded radiologists with US, with a transducer operating at 17 MHz. A1 pulley thickness was measured and correlated with the Hand Mobility in Scleroderma Test (HAMIS) and disease duration. Results: The thickness of the A1 pulley was greater in sclerodermic patients than in controls (p < 0.05). Intra and inter-observer agreement were better for ultrasound (0.94;0.88) than for HAMIS tests (0.71;0.70). A good correlation between pulley thickness, hand mobility and disease duration was found (r = 0.78, p < 0.018; r = 0.54, p < 0.05). Conclusion: A1 pulley thickness measured on ultrasound correlates with hand mobility and disease duration. Ultrasound is an useful tool to evaluate hand disability in scleroderma.

  2. "Agency in Mobility": Towards a Conceptualisation of International Student Agency in Transnational Mobility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Ly Thi; Vu, Thao Thi Phuong

    2018-01-01

    Student mobility is becoming a prominent phenomenon of tertiary education in the twenty-first century. Internationally mobile students' lived experiences are intimately linked to their potential to exercise agency in transnational mobility. However, the notion of agency within the context of student mobility has not been the explicit focus of…

  3. Need for an Australian Indigenous disability workforce strategy: review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilroy, John; Dew, Angela; Lincoln, Michelle; Hines, Monique

    2017-08-01

    To identify approaches for developing workforce capacity to deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to Indigenous people with disability in Australian rural and remote communities. A narrative review of peer-reviewed and gray literature was undertaken. Searches of electronic databases and websites of key government and non-government organizations were used to supplement the authors' knowledge of literature that (a) focused on Indigenous peoples in Australia or other countries; (b) referred to people with disability; (c) considered rural/remote settings; (d) recommended workforce strategies; and (e) was published in English between 2004 and 2014. Recommended workforce strategies in each publication were summarized in a narrative synthesis. Six peer-reviewed articles and 12 gray publications met inclusion criteria. Three broad categories of workforce strategies were identified: (a) community-based rehabilitation (CBR) and community-centered approaches; (b) cultural training for all workers; and (c) development of an Indigenous disability workforce. An Indigenous disability workforce strategy based on community-centered principles and incorporating cultural training and Indigenous disability workforce development may help to ensure that Indigenous people with a disability in rural and remote communities benefit from current disability sector reforms. Indigenous workforce development requires strategies to attract and retain Aboriginal workers. Implications for Rehabilitation Indigenous people with disability living in rural and remote areas experience significant access and equity barriers to culturally appropriate supports and services that enable them to live independent, socially inclusive lives. A workforce strategy based on community-centered principles has potential for ensuring that the disability services sector meets the rehabilitation needs of Aboriginal people with disability living in rural and remote areas. Cultural training and

  4. Neurological abnormalities predict disability: the LADIS (Leukoaraiosis And DISability) study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poggesi, A.; Gouw, A.; van der Flier, W.M.; Pracucci, G.; Chabriat, H.; Erkinjuntti, T.; Fazekas, F.; Ferro, J.M.; Blahak, C.; Langhorne, P.; O'Brien, J.; Schmidt, R.; Visser, M.C.; Wahlund, L.O.; Waldemar, G.; Wallin, A.; Scheltens, P.; Inzitari, D.; Pantoni, L.

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the role of neurological abnormalities and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions in predicting global functional decline in a cohort of initially independent-living elderly subjects. The Leukoaraiosis And DISability (LADIS) Study, involving 11 European centres, was primarily aimed

  5. Ugandan-Canadian partnership advances research on disability ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    20 août 2012 ... In Uganda, statistics show that 20% of the country's population has some form of physical disability. Despite these numbers, little research has been conducted to provide a window into the lives of people with disabilities.

  6. Socioeconomic determinants of disability in Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zitko Melo, Pedro; Cabieses Valdes, Báltica

    2011-10-01

    Disability is a worldwide public health priority. A shift from a biomedical perspective of dysfunction to a broader social understanding of disability has been proposed. Among many different social factors described in the past, socioeconomic position remains as a key multidimensional determinant of health. The study goal was to analyze the relationship between disability and different domains of socioeconomic position in Chile. Cross-sectional analysis of an anonymized population-based survey conducted in Chile in 2006. Any disability (dichotomous variable) and 6 different types of disability were analyzed on the bases of their relationship with income quintiles, occupational status, educational level, and material living standards (quality of the housing, overcrowding rate and sanitary conditions). Confounding and interaction effects were explored using R statistical program. Income, education, occupation, and material measures of socioeconomic position, along with some sociodemographic characteristics of the population, were independently associated with the chance of being disabled in Chile. Interestingly, classic measures of socioeconomic position (income, education, and occupation) were consistently associated with any disability in Chile, whereas material living conditions were partially confounded by these classic measures. In addition to this, each type of disability showed a particular pattern of related social determinants, which also varied by age group. This study contributed to the understanding of disability in Chile and how different domains of socioeconomic position might be associated with this prevalent condition. Disability remains a complex multidimensional public health problem in Chile that requires the inclusion of a wide range of risk factors, of which socioeconomic position is particularly relevant. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Functioning and disability in recent research from Cameroon: a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: People living with disabilities in Cameroon face many barriers to daily functioning and social participation. However, there is limited research on disabilities and their impact. We sought to examine the research related to disability from Cameroon. Methods: We conducted a systematic review, bibliometric ...

  8. Neighborhood Characteristics and Disability in Older Adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaney, Shannon; Cerda, Magda; Frye, Victoria; Lovasi, Gina S.; Ompad, Danielle; Rundle, Andrew; Vlahov, David

    2009-01-01

    Objective To characterize the influence of the residential neighborhood of older adults on the prevalence of disability. Methods We combined Census data on disability in older adults living in New York City with environmental information from a comprehensive geospatial database. We used factor analysis to derive dimensions of compositional and physical neighborhood characteristics and linear regression to model their association with levels of disability. Measures of neighborhood collective efficacy were added to these models to explore the impact of the social environment. Results Low neighborhood socioeconomic status, residential instability, living in areas with low proportions of foreign born and high proportions of Black residents, and negative street characteristics were associated with higher prevalence of both “physical” disability and “going outside the home” disability. High crime levels were additionally associated with physical disability, although this relationship disappeared when misdemeanor arrests were removed from the crime variable. Low levels of collective efficacy were associated with more going-outside-the-home disability, with racial/ethnic composition dropping out of this model to be replaced by an interaction term. Conclusion The urban environment may have a substantial impact on whether an older adult with a given level of functional impairment is able to age actively and remain independent. PMID:19181694

  9. Impact of shoulder complaints after neck dissection on shoulder disability and quality of life

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stuiver, Martijn M.; van Wilgen, Cornelis P.; de Boer, Erlijn M.; de Goede, Cees J. T.; Koolstra, Muriel; van Opzeeland, Anita; Venema, Piet; Sterken, Margriet W.; Vincent, Andrew; Dijkstra, Pieter U.

    2008-01-01

    To explore relationships between shoulder complaints after neck dissection, shoulder disability, and quality of life. To find clinical predictors for mid- to long-term shoulder disability. Prospective. Shoulder pain, shoulder mobility, and shoulder droop, as well as scores on shoulder disability

  10. Socioeconomic circumstances of children with disabilities in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Children with disabilities are an integral part of Zimbabwean society. However these children face insurmountable challenges that hinder their human and social capital development. The current study used a mixed methodology approach to examine the socioeconomic circumstances of children living with disabilities ...

  11. Self-Esteem of Greek Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Argyrakouli, Effi; Zafiropoulou, Maria

    2003-01-01

    This study examined the self-esteem of 50 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities living in central Greece and 50 similar mothers of non-disabled children. Results indicated significantly lower self-esteem for mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. The best predictor of positive maternal self-esteem in the disabled group…

  12. Housing and Transport: Access Issues for Disabled International Students in British Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soorenian, Armineh

    2013-01-01

    This article explores two disabled people's "Seven Needs" to independent living, those of "housing" and "transport" issues, in relation to disabled international students in British universities. Firstly, students' living arrangements, including issues related to the suitability of university accommodation to their…

  13. Sexuality among People with Physical Disability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Birgul Elbozan Cumurcu

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Physical disability is termed as disturbance or defect which impede or eliminate human body’s ability by disturbing human structure and shape. Physical disability may occur due to neonatal, natal or postnatal causes. People with physical disability have some natural needs as everyone. They are known to have difficulties in many areas of life. In society, sexual lives of these individuals are treated as an unknown and ignored issue, and moreover it has been assumed that they have no such needs. Disabled patients experience many troubles in their life domains including sexuality. This article provides information about physical disability and sexuality, and difficulties with which disabled people faces in their sexual life and overviews literature on this topic.

  14. Expanding Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giangreco, Michael F.

    2017-01-01

    Research and experience tell us a great deal about how to successfully educate students with intellectual disability, but unfortunately this knowledge remains underutilized and inconsistently applied, writes researcher Michael F. Giangreco. Students with intellectual disability who have virtually identical profiles but live in different locales…

  15. Opening communication channels with people living with HIV using mobile phone text messaging: insights from the CAMPS trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Thabane, Lehana; Ongolo-Zogo, Pierre

    2013-04-04

    Using two-way mobile phone text messages to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication enhances communication between patients and health workers. We describe the implications of participants' responses to text messages in the Cameroon Mobile Phone SMS (CAMPS) trial. This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from the intervention arm of the CAMPS trial. CAMPS was a randomized controlled trial of motivational text messaging versus usual care to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication among people living with HIV in Yaounde, Cameroon (n = 200) over a 6 month period. Participants in the intervention arm (n = 101) were given a contact phone number, but were not required to respond to their reminder messages. If they did, their responses were noted and reported as counts and percentages. We received 99 phone calls and 55 text messages (154 responses) from 48 participants during the study period. The median number of responses was 1 (first quartile [Q1]: 1; third quartile [Q3]: 3). Half (n = 79, 51.1%) of them were expressions of gratitude. The rest included requests for logistical (n = 21, 13.6%), medical (n = 20, 12.9%) and financial (n = 11, 7.1%) support. Initiating two-way mobile communication opens more channels for people living with HIV to express unmet needs. Researchers, policy makers and clinicians should be ready to respond to the needs expressed by patients who respond to text messages. Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry: PACTR201011000261458;

  16. Administration for Community Living

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... 15, 2017 Grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research ... integration, and inclusion throughout life Other ACL Sites Eldercare Locator OlderIndians. ...

  17. Vital signs: disability and physical activity--United States, 2009-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Dianna D; Courtney-Long, Elizabeth A; Stevens, Alissa C; Sloan, Michelle L; Lullo, Carolyn; Visser, Susanna N; Fox, Michael H; Armour, Brian S; Campbell, Vincent A; Brown, David R; Dorn, Joan M

    2014-05-09

    Adults with disabilities are less active and have higher rates of chronic disease than the general population. Given the health benefits of physical activity, understanding physical activity, its relationship with chronic disease, and health professional recommendations for physical activity among young to middle-age adults with disabilities could help increase the effectiveness of health promotion efforts. Data from the 2009-2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to estimate the prevalence of, and association between, aerobic physical activity (inactive, insufficiently active, or active) and chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer) among adults aged 18-64 years by disability status and type (hearing, vision, cognitive, and mobility). The prevalence of, and association between, receiving a health professional recommendation for physical activity and level of aerobic physical activity was assessed using 2010 data. Overall, 11.6% of U.S. adults aged 18-64 years reported a disability, with estimates for disability type ranging from 1.7% (vision) to 5.8% (mobility). Compared with adults without disabilities, inactivity was more prevalent among adults with any disability (47.1% versus 26.1%) and for adults with each type of disability. Inactive adults with disabilities were 50% more likely to report one or more chronic diseases than those who were physically active. Approximately 44% of adults with disabilities received a recommendation from a health professional for physical activity in the past 12 months. Almost half of adults with disabilities are physically inactive and are more likely to have a chronic disease. Among adults with disabilities who visited a health professional in the past 12 months, the majority (56%) did not receive a recommendation for physical activity. These data highlight the need for increased physical activity among persons with disabilities, which might require support across societal sectors, including

  18. Residential mobility and childhood leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amoon, A T; Oksuzyan, S; Crespi, C M; Arah, O A; Cockburn, M; Vergara, X; Kheifets, L

    2018-07-01

    Studies of environmental exposures and childhood leukemia studies do not usually account for residential mobility. Yet, in addition to being a potential risk factor, mobility can induce selection bias, confounding, or measurement error in such studies. Using data collected for California Powerline Study (CAPS), we attempt to disentangle the effect of mobility. We analyzed data from a population-based case-control study of childhood leukemia using cases who were born in California and diagnosed between 1988 and 2008 and birth certificate controls. We used stratified logistic regression, case-only analysis, and propensity-score adjustments to assess predictors of residential mobility between birth and diagnosis, and account for potential confounding due to residential mobility. Children who moved tended to be older, lived in housing other than single-family homes, had younger mothers and fewer siblings, and were of lower socioeconomic status. Odds ratios for leukemia among non-movers living mobility, including dwelling type, increased odds ratios for leukemia to 2.61 (95% CI: 1.76-3.86) for living mobility of childhood leukemia cases varied by several sociodemographic characteristics, but not by the distance to the nearest power line or calculated magnetic fields. Mobility appears to be an unlikely explanation for the associations observed between power lines exposure and childhood leukemia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Disability and Equity in Higher Education Accessibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alphin, Henry C., Jr., Ed.; Lavine, Jennie, Ed.; Chan, Roy Y., Ed.

    2017-01-01

    Education is the foundation to almost all successful lives. It is vital that learning opportunities are available on a global scale, regardless of individual disabilities or differences, and to create more inclusive educational practices. "Disability and Equity in Higher Education Accessibility" is a comprehensive reference source for…

  20. The Lived Experience of Students with an Invisible Disability at a Canadian University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullins, Laura; Preyde, Michele

    2013-01-01

    University institutions are required by law to make their services accessible to students with disabilities. Canadian universities have gone a long way to eliminate the physical obstacles that present barriers for students. Many students with disabilities have invisible disabilities that require different types of adjustments. Although some…

  1. Introducing disability studies to occupational therapy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Block, Pamela; Ricafrente-Biazon, Melissa; Russo, Ann; Chu, Ke Yun; Sud, Suman; Koerner, Lori; Vittoria, Karen; Landgrover, Alyssa; Olowu, Tosin

    2005-01-01

    This article is a work of collaborative ethnography about teaching and learning disability studies within the context of an occupational therapy graduate program. In spring 2004,14 occupational therapy students were introduced to disability studies by their cultural anthropologist (nonoccupational therapist) course instructor. During the one-credit course, they were expected to complete readings, watch films, attend guest lectures, and make a site visit. The occupational therapy students were required to write a journal to record personal reactions and new insights gained from these experiences. This article focuses on a thematic analysis of the students' journaled responses to the film "Dance Me to My Song," and a site visit to a local Independent Living Center. Students were expected to analyze these experiences from both disability studies and occupational therapy perspectives. The article addresses philosophical and practical differences between occupational therapy and disability studies and identifies opportunities for collaboration between occupational therapists and independent living specialists.

  2. 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) Versus Gait Speed As Predictor of Preclinical Mobility Disability in Older Women: The Women's Health Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laddu, Deepika R; Wertheim, Betsy C; Garcia, David O; Woods, Nancy F; LaMonte, Michael J; Chen, Bertha; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Zaslavsky, Oleg; Cauley, Jane A; Chlebowski, Rowan; Manson, JoAnn E; Thomson, Cynthia A; Stefanick, Marcia L

    2018-04-01

    To compare the value of clinically measured gait speed with that of the self-reported Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Survey Physical Function Index (SF-36 PF) in predicting future preclinical mobility disability (PCMD) in older women. Prospective cohort study. Forty clinical centers in the United States. Women aged 65 to 79 enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Clinical Trials with gait speed and SF-36 assessed at baseline (1993-1998) and follow-up Years 1, 3, and 6 (N = 3,587). Women were categorized as nondecliners or decliners based on changes (from baseline to Year 1) in gait speed and SF-36 PF scores. Logistic regression models were used to estimate incident PCMD (gait speed 36 PF with that of measured gait speed. Slower baseline gait speed and lower SF-36 PF scores were associated with higher adjusted odds of PCMD at Years 3 and 6 (all P 36, decliners were 1.42 times as likely to have developed PCMD by Year 3 and 1.49 times as likely by Year 6. Baseline gait speed (AUC = 0.713) was nonsignificantly better than SF-36 (AUC = 0.705) at predicting PCMD over 6 years (P = .21); including measures at a second time point significantly improved model discrimination for predicting PCMD (all P 36 PF did, although the results may be limited given that gait speed served as a predictor and to define the PCMD outcome. Nonetheless, monitoring trajectories of change in mobility are better predictors of future mobility disability than single measures. © 2018, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2018, The American Geriatrics Society.

  3. Assessment of Mobility in Older People Hospitalized for Medical Illness Using de Morton Mobility Index and Cumulated Ambulation Score-Validity and Minimal Clinical Important Difference

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trøstrup, Jeanette; Andersen, Helle; Kam, Charlotte Agger Meiner

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Older adults acutely hospitalized for medical illness typically have comorbidity and disability, and inhospital physical inactivity greatly increases the likelihood of developing new disability. Thus, assessment of the patients' mobility status is crucial for planning....... Assessments of mobility using the DEMMI (score range 0-100), the CAS (score range 0-6), and the Barthel Index (BI, score range 0-100) were performed by physical or occupational therapists at hospital admission and discharge. In addition, at discharge patients and therapists were independently asked to assess...... and geriatric wards. In contrast, the CAS appears to be appropriate to identify whether a patient is independently mobile or needs assistance, while the measure is less suitable for measuring improvements in mobility.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution...

  4. OVERPROTECTION AND ADOLESCENTS WITH PHYISICAL DISABILITIES

    OpenAIRE

    OZHEK Simona R.

    2015-01-01

    The article deals with the effects of overprotection on the care and development of children with physical disabilities. The focus is on the profes­sional work of carers caring for young people with physical disabilities. Children with physical dis­abilities are less mobile and need more protection. As long as this is objective protection against real dangers, which the child in a certain stage of de­velopment cannot overcome himself, the reaction is suitable, but in cases where the situation...

  5. Neurological abnormalities predict disability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poggesi, Anna; Gouw, Alida; van der Flier, Wiesje

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the role of neurological abnormalities and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions in predicting global functional decline in a cohort of initially independent-living elderly subjects. The Leukoaraiosis And DISability (LADIS) Study, involving 11 European centres, was primarily aimed...... at evaluating age-related white matter changes (ARWMC) as an independent predictor of the transition to disability (according to Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale) or death in independent elderly subjects that were followed up for 3 years. At baseline, a standardized neurological examination.......0 years, 45 % males), 327 (51.7 %) presented at the initial visit with ≥1 neurological abnormality and 242 (38 %) reached the main study outcome. Cox regression analyses, adjusting for MRI features and other determinants of functional decline, showed that the baseline presence of any neurological...

  6. Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudine Auger

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this exploratory study was to determine the important features in content and usability of existing mobile applications evaluating environmental barriers and facilitators (EBF to participation for persons with physical disabilities presenting mild communication or cognitive limitations. A rigorous process based on a user-centered design approach led to the identification of two relevant mobile applications to evaluate the EBF. An accessibility expert, the research team as well as five users then tested the mobile applications in a shopping mall. A thematic content analysis of the research team’s and users’ comments established 10 categories of key features that adequately respond to the needs of the clientele targeted in this study. In terms of content, granularity and contextualization of the information provided were considered important. With respect to usability, relevant features were place finding, rating system, presentation of results, compatibility, user-friendliness, aesthetics, credibility of the information as well as connectivity/interactiveness. The research team and the users agreed on some aspects such as aesthetics, but had different perspectives on features such as the rating system or the connectivity/interactiveness of the application. The users proposed new features suggesting that the existing mobile applications did not correspond to all their needs.

  7. Mobile applications for participation at the shopping mall: content analysis and usability for persons with physical disabilities and communication or cognitive limitations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auger, Claudine; Leduc, Emilie; Labbé, Delphine; Guay, Cassioppée; Fillion, Brigitte; Bottari, Carolina; Swaine, Bonnie

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this exploratory study was to determine the important features in content and usability of existing mobile applications evaluating environmental barriers and facilitators (EBF) to participation for persons with physical disabilities presenting mild communication or cognitive limitations. A rigorous process based on a user-centered design approach led to the identification of two relevant mobile applications to evaluate the EBF. An accessibility expert, the research team as well as five users then tested the mobile applications in a shopping mall. A thematic content analysis of the research team's and users' comments established 10 categories of key features that adequately respond to the needs of the clientele targeted in this study. In terms of content, granularity and contextualization of the information provided were considered important. With respect to usability, relevant features were place finding, rating system, presentation of results, compatibility, user-friendliness, aesthetics, credibility of the information as well as connectivity/interactiveness. The research team and the users agreed on some aspects such as aesthetics, but had different perspectives on features such as the rating system or the connectivity/interactiveness of the application. The users proposed new features suggesting that the existing mobile applications did not correspond to all their needs.

  8. Fear of falling predicts incidence of functional disability two years later: A perspective from an international cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Auais, Mohammad; French, Simon; Alvarado, Beatriz; Pirkle, Catherine; Belanger, Emmanuelle; Guralnik, Jack

    2017-12-06

    To study the extent to which fear of falling (FOF) is associated with the onset of functional disability over a 2-year period in older adults using self-reported and performance-based measures. In 2012, 1,601 participants (aged 65-74) were recruited from four sites: Kingston and Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada; Manizales, Colombia; and Natal, Brazil. They were re-assessed in 2014. We quantified FOF using the Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I; range: 16-64). Functional disability measures were 1) self-reported incident mobility disability, defined as difficulty climbing a flight of stairs or walking 400 meters and 2) incident poor physical performance, defined as a score <9 on the Short Physical Performance Battery. In the Poisson regression analysis, we included only those participants without functional disability at baseline to calculate incident risk ratios in 2014. 1,355 participants completed the 2014 assessment, of which 917 and 1,078 had no mobility disability and poor physical performance at baseline, respectively. In 2014, 131 (14.3%), and 166 (15.4%) participants reported incident mobility disability and poor physical performance, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic, and health covariates, a one-point increase in FES-I at baseline was associated with a 4% increase in the risk of reporting incident mobility disability (95% CI: 1.02-1.05) and a 3% increase in the risk of developing poor physical performance at follow up in the overall sample (95%CI: 1.01-1.05). FOF is associated with a higher risk of incident mobility disability and poor physical performance in a cohort of older adults. It is increasingly important to study FOF's effect on functional disability and to take necessary measures to prevent the transition to end-stage disability. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Issues Using the Life History Calendar in Disability Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Tiffany N.; Harrison, Tracie

    2011-01-01

    Background Overall, there is a dearth of research reporting mixed-method data collection procedures using the LHC within disability research. Objective This report provides practical knowledge on use of the life history calendar (LHC) from the perspective of a mixed-method life history study of mobility impairment situated within a qualitative paradigm. Methods In this paper the method related literature referring to the LHC was reviewed along with its epistemological underpinnings. Further, the uses of the LHC in disability research were illustrated using preliminary data from reports of disablement in Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White women with permanent mobility impairment. Results From our perspective, the LHC was most useful when approached from an interpretive paradigm when gathering data from women of varied ethnic and socioeconomic strata. While we found the LHC the most useful tool currently available for studying disablement over the life course, there were challenges associated with its use. The LHC required extensive interviewer training. In addition, large segments of time were needed for completion depending on the type of participant responses. Conclusions Researchers planning to conduct a disability study may find our experience using the LHC valuable for anticipating issues that may arise when the LHC is used in mixed-method research. PMID:22014674

  10. Approach for the Development of a Framework for the Identification of Activities of Daily Living Using Sensors in Mobile Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pombo, Nuno

    2018-01-01

    Sensors available on mobile devices allow the automatic identification of Activities of Daily Living (ADL). This paper describes an approach for the creation of a framework for the identification of ADL, taking into account several concepts, including data acquisition, data processing, data fusion, and pattern recognition. These concepts can be mapped onto different modules of the framework. The proposed framework should perform the identification of ADL without Internet connection, performing these tasks locally on the mobile device, taking in account the hardware and software limitations of these devices. The main purpose of this paper is to present a new approach for the creation of a framework for the recognition of ADL, analyzing the allowed sensors available in the mobile devices, and the existing methods available in the literature. PMID:29466316

  11. Approach for the Development of a Framework for the Identification of Activities of Daily Living Using Sensors in Mobile Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pires, Ivan Miguel; Garcia, Nuno M; Pombo, Nuno; Flórez-Revuelta, Francisco; Spinsante, Susanna

    2018-02-21

    Sensors available on mobile devices allow the automatic identification of Activities of Daily Living (ADL). This paper describes an approach for the creation of a framework for the identification of ADL, taking into account several concepts, including data acquisition, data processing, data fusion, and pattern recognition. These concepts can be mapped onto different modules of the framework. The proposed framework should perform the identification of ADL without Internet connection, performing these tasks locally on the mobile device, taking in account the hardware and software limitations of these devices. The main purpose of this paper is to present a new approach for the creation of a framework for the recognition of ADL, analyzing the allowed sensors available in the mobile devices, and the existing methods available in the literature.

  12. Beyond the dilemma of mobility: exploring new ways of matching intellectual and physical mobility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ferreira, A.; Batey, P.; te Brömmelstroet, M.; Bertolini, L.

    2012-01-01

    Mobility has become a central aspect of many people’s lives. This is the natural result of the massive investments made in the transport sector throughout the world. These investments were made because the benefits provided by mobility are many. However, the negative effects resulting from mobility

  13. A study of behaviour problems and psychiatric disorders among people with intellectual disability

    OpenAIRE

    Myrbakk, Even

    2008-01-01

    The present thesis investigates behaviour problems and their relationship to psychiatric disorders in people with intellectual disability living in the northern part of Norway, as well as the concordances between four of the most commonly used assessment instruments for psychiatric disorders in people with intellectual disability. A total of one hundred and eighty-one individuals with intellectual disability living in the counties of Nordland, Troms and Finnmark participated in the studies. ...

  14. Community Living Skills Guide: Art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobol, Sheila; Kreps, Alice Roelofs

    One of twenty course guides in the Community Living Skills Guide for the College for Living series, this document provides guidelines and workbook activities for the course, Art. The series of courses for developmentally disabled adults is intended to supplement residential programs and to aid in orienting institutionalized persons to eventual…

  15. Destinations matter: The association between where older adults live and their travel behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chudyk, Anna M; Winters, Meghan; Moniruzzaman, Md; Ashe, Maureen C; Gould, Joanie Sims; McKay, Heather

    2015-03-01

    The positive effect of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases and age-related disabilities, such as mobility-disability, are widely accepted. Mobility is broadly defined as the ability of individuals to move themselves within community environments. These two concepts -physical activity and mobility - are closely linked and together contribute to older adults living healthy, independent lives. Neighborhood destinations may encourage mobility, as older adults typically leave their homes to travel to specific destinations. Thus, neighborhoods with a high prevalence of destinations may provide older adults an attractive opportunity to walk, instead of drive, and thereby obtain incidental physical activity. We know surprisingly little about the specific types of destinations older adults deem relevant and even less about destinations that support the mobility of older adults with low income. Accessible neighborhood destinations may be especially important to older adults with low income as they are more likely to walk as a primary travel mode. Conversely, this population may also be at increased risk of functional impairments that negatively affect their ability to walk. As a means to fill this information gap we aimed to better understand the mobility habits of older adults with low income. Thus, our specific objectives were to: (1) describe the types of destinations older adults with low income most commonly travel to in one week; and (2) determine the association between the prevalence of neighborhood destinations and the number of transportation walking trips these individuals make (average per day). We conducted a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults with low income residing within Metro Vancouver, Canada. We assessed participant travel behavior (frequency, purpose, mode, destination) using seven-day travel diaries and measured the prevalence of neighborhood destinations using the Street Smart Walk Score. We

  16. Music reduces pain and increases functional mobility in fibromyalgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garza-Villarreal, Eduardo A.; Wilson, Andrew D.; Vase, Lene; Brattico, Elvira; Barrios, Fernando A.; Jensen, Troels S.; Romero-Romo, Juan I.; Vuust, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The pain in Fibromyalgia (FM) is difficult to treat and functional mobility seems to be an important comorbidity in these patients that could evolve into a disability. In this study we wanted to investigate the analgesic effects of music in FM pain. Twenty-two FM patients were passively exposed to (1) self-chosen, relaxing, pleasant music, and to (2) a control auditory condition (pink noise). They rated pain and performed the “timed-up & go task (TUG)” to measure functional mobility after each auditory condition. Listening to relaxing, pleasant, self-chosen music reduced pain and increased functional mobility significantly in our FM patients. The music-induced analgesia was significantly correlated with the TUG scores; thereby suggesting that the reduction in pain unpleasantness increased functional mobility. Notably, this mobility improvement was obtained with music played prior to the motor task (not during), therefore the effect cannot be explained merely by motor entrainment to a fast rhythm. Cognitive and emotional mechanisms seem to be central to music-induced analgesia. Our findings encourage the use of music as a treatment adjuvant to reduce chronic pain in FM and increase functional mobility thereby reducing the risk of disability. PMID:24575066

  17. Understanding suicide and disability through three major disabling conditions: Intellectual disability, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giannini, Margaret J; Bergmark, Brian; Kreshover, Samantha; Elias, Eileen; Plummer, Caitlin; O'Keefe, Eileen

    2010-04-01

    practices in preventing suicide. Working toward these objectives will reduce the unacceptable burden of this preventable cause of death and help children and adults with disabilities to lead happier, healthier, and longer lives. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Disability grants or antiretrovirals? A quandary for people with HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    According to the Department of Social Development, disability grants are available to adult South African citizens and permanent residents who are incapacitated and unable to work due to illness or disability. A number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs) have accessed disability grants once they have fulfilled the criteria ...

  19. Environmental injustice and mobility impairment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Cahill

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The study of mobility is a growth area in the social sciences. The car system (automobility has hadas one of its consequences reduced opportunities for mobility impaired people to walk in their localenvironment. Immobility has resulted for many people with disabilities. Despite the promotion ofphysical activity by public health guidance local environments are often hazardous for mobilityimpaired people. In particular, there is a problem with cars parking on pavements and pavementcycling.  

  20. Disability and handicap among elderly Singaporeans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, S S

    2001-08-01

    Singapore's elderly population has been growing rapidly and is expected to constitute more than 25 percent of the total population by the year 2030. The ageing process brings with it a host of health problems. Here the question arises--Are the increasing years of life going to create a high proportion of sick and disabled elderly people, or a rich human resource of healthy senior citizens? Since more women are living longer than men, who would face a higher risk of disability and handicap? These questions are yet to be answered in Singapore. This paper seeks answers to these questions. The study is based on a sample survey of 1209 elderly Singaporeans living in Kampong Glam, Kreta Ayer and Bukit Merah parliamentary constituencies which have some of the highest proportions of the aged population. The results revealed that more than half of the aged had a disability and the rate of disability was significantly higher among the women as compared to the men. More than one-third of the elderly had a handicap and the rate of handicap among the women was twice as much as that among the men. Severity of handicap was directly correlated with age.

  1. Early Intervention in Children with Developmental Disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beena Johnson

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Developmental disabilities consist of conditions that delay or impair the physical, cognitive, and/or psychological development of children. If not intervened at the earliest, these disabilities will cause significant negative impact on multiple domains of functioning such as learning, language, self-care and capacity for independent living. Common developmental disabilities include autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental delay and cerebral palsy. About one fourth of young children in developing countries are at risk for or have developmental delay or disabilities. Inadequate stimulation has significant negative impact on physical, socioemotional and cognitive development of children. Hence early scientific intervention programs are necessary in the management of children at risk for developmental delay.

  2. The impact of disability transitions on social inclusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gannon, Brenda; Nolan, Brian

    2007-04-01

    As the extent of disability increases in society, there is an increasing need to understand its consequences for many aspects of social inclusion. Using the Living in Ireland Survey 1995-2001 (n=2727 adults), we provide a rigorous analysis of the transitions into and out of disability and the related consequences for various characteristics of social inclusion. We compare the effect of onset, exit and persistent disability on household income and the probability of being in poverty. We also look at the impact on daily societal participation for individuals with varying durations of disability. Results show that people with disabilities have much lower levels of social inclusion and imply that related policy should focus on the heterogeneity of disabled people, depending on their respective transitions into disability and the duration of their disability.

  3. Poverty in People with Disabilities: Indicators from the Capability Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosano, Aldo; Mancini, Federica; Solipaca, Alessandro

    2009-01-01

    People with disability are particularly exposed to poor living conditions: on one hand they have more difficulties in getting an income cause to their inabilities, on the other hand conditions of poverty increase the risk of disability. However, little rigorous quantitative research has been undertaken to measure the real impact of disability on…

  4. Baseline disability in activities of daily living predicts dementia risk even after controlling for baseline global cognitive ability and depressive symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fauth, Elizabeth B; Schwartz, Sarah; Tschanz, Joann T; Østbye, Truls; Corcoran, Christopher; Norton, Maria C

    2013-06-01

    Late-life disability in activities of daily living (ADL) is theorized to be driven by underlying cognitive and/or physical impairment, interacting with psychological and environmental factors. Although we expect that cognitive deficits would explain associations between ADL disability and dementia risk, the current study examined ADL as a predictor of future dementia after controlling for global cognitive status. The population-based Cache County Memory Study (N = 3547) assessed individuals in four triennial waves (average age 74.9 years, years of education 13.36 years; 57.9% were women). Cox proportional hazards regression models assessed whether baseline ADL disability (presence of 2+ Instrumental ADL and/or 1+ Personal ADL) predicted incident dementia after controlling for APOE status, gender, age, baseline cognitive ability (Modified Mini-mental State Exam, 3MS-R; adjusted for education level), and baseline depressive symptoms (Diagnostic Interview Schedule). Over the course of study, 571 cases of incident dementia were identified through in-depth cognitive assessment, ending in expert consensus diagnosis. Results from Cox models suggest that ADL disability is a statistically significant predictor of incident dementia (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.83, p controlling for covariates. Findings suggest that ADL disability offers unique contributions in risk for incident dementia, even after controlling for global cognitive status. We discuss how physical impairment and executive function may play important roles in this relationship, and how ADL is useful, not just a diagnostic tool at, or after dementia onset, but also as a risk factor for future dementia, even in individuals not impaired on global cognitive tests. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Disabling sexualities: Exploring the impact of the intersection of HIV, disability and gender on the sexualities of women in Zambia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Wickenden

    2013-07-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to explore how HIV, disability and gender shape the perspectives of HIV-positive women with disabilities regarding intimacy and gender roles. Methods: Twelve women in Lusaka, Zambia were recruited for in-depth semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences of having a disability and living with HIV. Interviews were conducted in English, Bemba, Nyanja and Zambian sign language. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted, followed by in-depth gender analyses of data relating to intimacy and gender roles. Results: Data analysis led to the identification of two main themes: the impact of HIV diagnosis on intimate relationships amongst the participants; and the disruption and renegotiation of gender roles. These findings demonstrate the loss of intimacy (often decided by the participants and changes in women’s gender roles (infrequently decided by them. Conclusions: The narrow approaches to sexuality and HIV that reinforce misconceptions and stereotypes need to change. In their place should be inclusive and disability and sex-positive approaches that are informed by the diverse realities of women’s lives. Further research is needed to develop stronger evidence of the impact of HIV and disability on gender roles and sexuality.

  6. Supporting the Transition into Employment: A Study of Canadian Young Adults Living with Disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jetha, Arif; Bowring, Julie; Furrie, Adele; Smith, Frank; Breslin, Curtis

    2018-04-25

    Objective To examine the job accommodation and benefit needs of young adults with disabilities as they transition into employment, and their perceived barriers to meeting support needs. Methods An online survey was conducted of 155 Canadian young adults with disabilities (mean age = 25.8 years). Respondents were either employed or seeking employment, and were asked about their need for health benefits, and soft (e.g., flexible scheduling) and hard accommodations (e.g., ergonomic interventions), and perceived accommodation barriers. Disability characteristics (e.g., disability type), demographic details and work context information were collected. Multivariable logistic analyses were conducted to examine the factors associated with a greater need for health benefits and hard and soft accommodations. Result Participants reported having a physical (79%), psychological (79%) or cognitive/learning disability (77%); 68% had > 1 disability. Over half (55%) were employed. Health benefits and soft accommodations were most needed by participants. Also, an average of six perceived accommodation barriers were indicated; difficulty with disability disclosure was most frequently reported. More perceived accommodation barriers were associated with a greater need for health benefits (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31) and soft accommodations (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27). A psychological disability was a associated with a greater need for health benefits (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.09-7.43) and soft accommodations (OR 3.83, 95% CI 1.41-10.42). Discussion Employers can support the employment of young adults with disabilities through provision of extended health benefits and soft accommodations. Addressing accommodation barriers could minimize unmet workplace need, and improve employment outcomes for young adults with disabilities as they begin their career and across the life course.

  7. What are the specific disability and limitation types underlying responses to the BRFSS disability questions?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Joshua; Balte, Pallavi; Clarkson, John; Nitcheva, Daniela; Graham, Catherine Leigh; McDermott, Suzanne

    2015-01-01

    Researchers rely on resources such as BRFSS data to understand the health status of people with disability. However, the survey data rely on a limited definition of disability resulting in imprecise inferences about the nature of disability. Understanding how health varies among people with different types of disability is vital to tailoring interventions for improving health and eliminating disparities. The purpose of this study was to utilize state added follow-up questions in the 2011 South Carolina BRFSS to describe the specific health conditions and limitations attributed to their disability and to compare health status across different types of disability. Participants reporting a disability were asked to name health condition(s) causing disability and describe their disability-related limitations. Descriptive statistics were calculated using weighted proportions. Logistic regression was used to model the associations of specific health conditions and limitations with the outcomes of self-rated general health and mental health status, controlling for demographic factors. The 5 most commonly reported health condition categories were (weighted percentage): musculoskeletal (68.56%); pulmonary (10.41%); neurologic (8.48%); heart disease (8%) and mental health (7.31%). The 5 most commonly reported limitation categories were: mobility/balance limitations (46.29%); pain (23.22%); breathing problems (12.36%); general weakness/fatigue (9.57%) and limited lifting (8.24%). There was substantial variation in the degree of association between categories of conditions and limitations and the outcomes of self-rated physical and mental health. Researchers and practitioners should consider variability in the nature of disability when designing interventions to improve the health of people with a disability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Are people living next to mobile phone base stations more strained? Relationship of health concerns, self-estimated distance to base station, and psychological parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Augner, Christoph; Hacker, Gerhard W

    2009-12-01

    Coeval with the expansion of mobile phone technology and the associated obvious presence of mobile phone base stations, some people living close to these masts reported symptoms they attributed to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Public and scientific discussions arose with regard to whether these symptoms were due to EMF or were nocebo effects. The aim of this study was to find out if people who believe that they live close to base stations show psychological or psychobiological differences that would indicate more strain or stress. Furthermore, we wanted to detect the relevant connections linking self-estimated distance between home and the next mobile phone base station (DBS), daily use of mobile phone (MPU), EMF-health concerns, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, and psychological strain parameters. Fifty-seven participants completed standardized and non-standardized questionnaires that focused on the relevant parameters. In addition, saliva samples were used as an indication to determine the psychobiological strain by concentration of alpha-amylase, cortisol, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and substance P. Self-declared base station neighbors (DBS base station neighbors are more strained than others. EMF-related health concerns cannot explain these findings. Further research should identify if actual EMF exposure or other factors are responsible for these results.

  9. Measuring the concept of impact of childhood disability on parents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guyard, Audrey; Michelsen, Susan Ishøy; Arnaud, Catherine

    2012-01-01

    Living with a child with a disability can affect family life in various domains. Impacts on time, expenses, work, relationships within the family, social relationships and physical and psychological health can be observed. The Family Impact of Childhood Disability (FICD) is a specific instrument...... extracted from exploratory factor analysis on FICD+4. These results support the psychometric validity of the FICD in the assessment of the impact of disability in European families who live with an adolescent with cerebral palsy. They also highlight the multifaceted aspects of the impact of childhood...... designed to assess this situation. Used in a cross-sectional survey, this questionnaire was extended to consider two missing aspects: impact on work and health (FICD+4). This paper addresses the psychometric qualities of the FICD in Europe among parents living with an adolescent with cerebral palsy...

  10. The Arab Spring Protests and Concurrent Disability Protests: Social Movement Spillover or Spurious Relationship?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharon N. Barnartt

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Protests from different social movements sometimes coincide, but does that mean that one movement is influencing the other and increasing its “action mobilization,” or are different sets of factors causing the coincident protests? This paper examines that question in reference to two sets of coincident protests: those of people with disabilities and those of the pro-Democracy protests of 2011. It shows that, although disability protests did not start at the same time as the pro-Democracy protests, a number happened during and after, and in close physical proximity to, those protests. Neither set of protests acknowledged or referred to the other. While it is likely that a new law in Egypt and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities were among the mobilizing factors for people with disabilities, it also appears that the language of “rights” began to diffuse from the pro-Democracy protests to the disability protests.  

  11. Robotics to enable older adults to remain living at home.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearce, Alan J; Adair, Brooke; Miller, Kimberly; Ozanne, Elizabeth; Said, Catherine; Santamaria, Nick; Morris, Meg E

    2012-01-01

    Given the rapidly ageing population, interest is growing in robots to enable older people to remain living at home. We conducted a systematic review and critical evaluation of the scientific literature, from 1990 to the present, on the use of robots in aged care. The key research questions were as follows: (1) what is the range of robotic devices available to enable older people to remain mobile, independent, and safe? and, (2) what is the evidence demonstrating that robotic devices are effective in enabling independent living in community dwelling older people? Following database searches for relevant literature an initial yield of 161 articles was obtained. Titles and abstracts of articles were then reviewed by 2 independent people to determine suitability for inclusion. Forty-two articles met the criteria for question 1. Of these, 4 articles met the criteria for question 2. Results showed that robotics is currently available to assist older healthy people and people with disabilities to remain independent and to monitor their safety and social connectedness. Most studies were conducted in laboratories and hospital clinics. Currently limited evidence demonstrates that robots can be used to enable people to remain living at home, although this is an emerging smart technology that is rapidly evolving.

  12. Robotics to Enable Older Adults to Remain Living at Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan J. Pearce

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Given the rapidly ageing population, interest is growing in robots to enable older people to remain living at home. We conducted a systematic review and critical evaluation of the scientific literature, from 1990 to the present, on the use of robots in aged care. The key research questions were as follows: (1 what is the range of robotic devices available to enable older people to remain mobile, independent, and safe? and, (2 what is the evidence demonstrating that robotic devices are effective in enabling independent living in community dwelling older people? Following database searches for relevant literature an initial yield of 161 articles was obtained. Titles and abstracts of articles were then reviewed by 2 independent people to determine suitability for inclusion. Forty-two articles met the criteria for question 1. Of these, 4 articles met the criteria for question 2. Results showed that robotics is currently available to assist older healthy people and people with disabilities to remain independent and to monitor their safety and social connectedness. Most studies were conducted in laboratories and hospital clinics. Currently limited evidence demonstrates that robots can be used to enable people to remain living at home, although this is an emerging smart technology that is rapidly evolving.

  13. An autonomous, automated and mobile device to concurrently assess several cognitive functions in group-living non-human primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fizet, Jonas; Rimele, Adam; Pebayle, Thierry; Cassel, Jean-Christophe; Kelche, Christian; Meunier, Hélène

    2017-11-01

    Research methods in cognitive neuroscience using non-human primates have undergone notable changes over the last decades. Recently, several research groups have described freely accessible devices equipped with a touchscreen interface. Two characteristics of such systems are of particular interest: some apparatuses include automated identification of subjects, while others are mobile. Here, we designed, tested and validated an experimental system that, for the first time, combine automatization and mobility. Moreover, our system allows autonomous learning and testing of cognitive performance in group-living subjects, including follow-up assessments. The mobile apparatus is designed to be available 24h a day, 7days a week, in a typical confined primate breeding and housing facility. Here we present as proof of concept, the results of two pilot studies. We report that rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) learned the tasks rapidly and achieved high-level of stable performance. Approaches of this kind should be developed for future pharmacological and biomedical studies in non-human primates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Identifying the key concerns of Irish persons with intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García Iriarte, Edurne; O'Brien, Patricia; McConkey, Roy; Wolfe, Marie; O'Doherty, Siobhain

    2014-11-01

    Internationally, people with intellectual disability are socially marginalized, and their rights under the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) are often ignored. This paper aims to define the key concerns of adults with an intellectual disability in relation to their participation in society using an inclusive research strategy for both data gathering and data analysis. A national study involving 23 focus groups and 168 persons was conducted on the island of Ireland with people with intellectual disability as co-facilitators. A thematic content analysis was undertaken of the verbatim transcripts initially by university co-researchers, and 19 themes were identified. Co-researchers with intellectual disability joined in identifying the eight core themes. These were as follows: living options, employment, relationships, citizenship, leisure time, money management, self-advocacy, and communication. The concerns are discussed within the framework of the CRPD, and implications for transforming service policy are drawn. Why we did the research In many countries, people with intellectual disability have difficulties doing things other people without disabilities do, for example to study, to get a job or to live independently. They also find that their rights are not respected under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention). We did this study to Learn what are the main issues for adults with intellectual disability in Ireland. Do research with people with intellectual disability. How we did the research People with intellectual disability and their supporters worked with university researchers to plan and do the research. We met with people in groups and 168 people told us about things important to them. What we found out We found that there were very important things that people talked about in the groups. We chose the most important: living options, employment, relationships, rights, leisure, money

  15. Motivation Peer Training – Bridging the gap for people with mobility disabilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucy K. Norris

    2017-09-01

    Conclusion: Although Peer Training is not a replacement for rehabilitation services, Motivation believes it is an effective way to not only increase knowledge and skills of persons with disabilities but also reduce the sense of social isolation that can often be a result of disability.

  16. 20 CFR 404.278 - Additional cost-of-living increase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Additional cost-of-living increase. 404.278... DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing Primary Insurance Amounts Cost-Of-Living Increases § 404.278 Additional cost-of-living increase. (a) General. In addition to the cost-of-living increase explained in...

  17. The Components of Early Intervention Services for Families Living in Poverty: A Review of the Literature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corr, Catherine; Santos, Rosa Milagros; Fowler, Susan A.

    2016-01-01

    The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act mandates that very young children with disabilities be served through Part C services. Families of young children with disabilities who are also living in poverty are often the primary recipients of these services. To better understand the experiences of families, particularly those living in…

  18. Physical performance as long-term predictor of onset of activities of daily living (ADL) disability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Idland, Gro; Pettersen, Renate; Avlund, Kirsten

    2013-01-01

    non-disabled community-dwelling women with a mean age of 79.5 years at baseline. The baseline examinations of physical performance were: functional reach, climbing steps and comfortable walking speed. ADL disability was defined as need of personal assistance in at least one of five basic ADL items......Disability in ADL of aging women is an important public health concern. It is thus of interest to identify modifiable factors underlying onset of ADL disability. We assessed whether three physical performance-based measurements could predict ADL disability 9 years later. The participants were 113....... The participants were followed for 9 years. Logistic regression models were fitted for each of the physical performance measurements together with the covariates in relation to ADL disability. At follow-up 25.7% were disabled in ADL. All three performance measurements were significantly associated with the onset...

  19. Motivation Peer Training - Bridging the gap for people with mobility disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norris, Lucy K

    2017-01-01

    Only 2% of people with disabilities in developing countries have access to basic services and rehabilitation. To bridge this gap, Motivation has been running Peer Training activities since 1993 and has identified that there is a growing need for Peer Training. The overall aim of Peer Training is for wheelchair users (Peer Trainers) to provide others (with similar disabilities) with the relevant knowledge on health issues, rights and skills to achieve a basic level of independence and greater quality of life. To test the impact of Peer Training, Motivation created a knowledge, skills and well-being questionnaire, which has been trialled in two locations: Kenya and Malawi. Overall, Motivation found that most participants reported an increase in knowledge, skills and well-being, supporting their experience that this training provides vital information and support mechanisms for wheelchair users in low- and middle-income countries. Further work is needed to ensure this tool measures the impact of Peer Training and lessons learnt have been identified to strengthen the methodology. Although Peer Training is not a replacement for rehabilitation services, Motivation believes it is an effective way to not only increase knowledge and skills of persons with disabilities but also reduce the sense of social isolation that can often be a result of disability.

  20. Impact of shoulder complaints after neck dissection on shoulder disability and quality of life

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stuiver, Martijn M.; van Wilgen, Cornelis P.; de Boer, Erlijn M.; de Goede, Cees J. T.; Koolstra, Muriel; van Opzeeland, Anita; Venema, Piet; Sterken, Margriet W.; Vincent, Andrew; Dijkstra, Pieter U.

    OBJECTIVE: To explore relationships between shoulder complaints after neck dissection, shoulder disability, and quality of life. To find clinical predictors for mid- to long-term shoulder disability. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Shoulder pain, shoulder mobility, and shoulder

  1. Impact of shoulder complaints after neck dissection on shoulder disability and quality of life

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stuiver, M.M.; van Wilgen, C.P.; de Boer, E.M.J.; de Goede, C.J.T.; Koolstra, M.; van Opzeeland, A.; Venema, P.; Sterken, M.W.; Vincent, A.; Dijkstra, P.U.

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To explore relationships between shoulder complaints after neck dissection, shoulder disability, and quality of life. To find clinical predictors for mid- to long-term shoulder disability. Study Design: Prospective. Patients and Methods: Shoulder pain, shoulder mobility, and shoulder

  2. Mobility Challenges

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole B.; Lassen, Claus

    2011-01-01

    This article takes point of departure in the challenges to understand the importance of contemporary mobility. The approach advocated is a cross-disciplinary one drawing on sociology, geography, urban planning and design, and cultural studies. As such the perspective is to be seen as a part...... of the so-called ‘mobility turn’ within social science. The perspective is illustrative for the research efforts at the Centre for Mobility and Urban Studies (C-MUS), Aalborg University. The article presents the contours of a theoretical perspective meeting the challenges to research into contemporary urban...... mobilities. In particular the article discusses 1) the physical city, its infrastructures and technological hardware/software, 2) policies and planning strategies for urban mobility and 3) the lived everyday life in the city and the region....

  3. From Data Acquisition to Data Fusion: A Comprehensive Review and a Roadmap for the Identification of Activities of Daily Living Using Mobile Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Miguel Pires

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the research on the state of the art for sensor fusion techniques, applied to the sensors embedded in mobile devices, as a means to help identify the mobile device user’s daily activities. Sensor data fusion techniques are used to consolidate the data collected from several sensors, increasing the reliability of the algorithms for the identification of the different activities. However, mobile devices have several constraints, e.g., low memory, low battery life and low processing power, and some data fusion techniques are not suited to this scenario. The main purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the state of the art to identify examples of sensor data fusion techniques that can be applied to the sensors available in mobile devices aiming to identify activities of daily living (ADLs.

  4. From Data Acquisition to Data Fusion: A Comprehensive Review and a Roadmap for the Identification of Activities of Daily Living Using Mobile Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pires, Ivan Miguel; Garcia, Nuno M.; Pombo, Nuno; Flórez-Revuelta, Francisco

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on the research on the state of the art for sensor fusion techniques, applied to the sensors embedded in mobile devices, as a means to help identify the mobile device user’s daily activities. Sensor data fusion techniques are used to consolidate the data collected from several sensors, increasing the reliability of the algorithms for the identification of the different activities. However, mobile devices have several constraints, e.g., low memory, low battery life and low processing power, and some data fusion techniques are not suited to this scenario. The main purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the state of the art to identify examples of sensor data fusion techniques that can be applied to the sensors available in mobile devices aiming to identify activities of daily living (ADLs). PMID:26848664

  5. Mobile Health Technology for Improving Symptom Management in Low Income Persons Living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnall, Rebecca; Cho, Hwayoung; Mangone, Alexander; Pichon, Adrienne; Jia, Haomiao

    2018-01-03

    Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer but experiencing more adverse symptoms associated with the disease and its treatment. This study aimed to examine the impact of a mHealth application (app) comprised of evidence-based self-care strategies on the symptom experience of PLWH. We conducted a 12-week feasibility study with 80 PLWH who were randomized (1:1) to a mHealth app, mobile Video Information Provider (mVIP), with self-care strategies for improving 13 commonly experienced symptoms in PLWH or to a control app. Intervention group participants showed a significantly greater improvement than the control group in 5 symptoms: anxiety (p = 0.001), depression (p = 0.001), neuropathy (p = 0.002), fever/chills/sweat (p = 0.037), and weight loss/wasting (p = 0.020). Participants in the intervention group showed greater improvement in adherence to their antiretroviral medications (p = 0.017) as compared to those in the control group. In this 12-week trial, mVIP was associated with improved symptom burden and increased medication adherence in PLWH.

  6. Knowledge of HIV-related disabilities and challenges in accessing care: Qualitative research from Zimbabwe.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lena Morgon Banks

    Full Text Available While the rapid expansion in antiretroviral therapy access in low and middle income countries has resulted in dramatic declines in mortality rates, many people living with HIV face new or worsening experiences of disability. As nearly 1 in 20 adults are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa-many of whom are likely to develop disabling sequelae from long-term infection, co-morbidities and side effects of their treatment-understanding the availability and accessibility of services to address HIV-related disabilities is of vital importance. The aim of this study thus is to explore knowledge of HIV-related disabilities amongst stakeholders working in the fields of HIV and disability and factors impacting uptake and provision of interventions for preventing, treating or managing HIV-related disabilities.In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten stakeholders based in Harare, Zimbabwe, who were working in the fields of either disability or HIV. Stakeholders were identified through a priori stakeholder analysis. Thematic Analysis, complemented by constant comparison as described in Grounded Theory, was used to analyse findings.All key informants reported some level of knowledge of HIV-related disability, mostly from observations made in their line of work. However, they reported no interventions or policies were in place specifically to address HIV-related disability. While referrals between HIV and rehabilitation providers were not uncommon, no formal mechanisms had been established for collaborating on prevention, identification and management. Additional barriers to accessing and providing services to address HIV-related disabilities included: the availability of resources, including trained professionals, supplies and equipment in both the HIV and rehabilitation sectors; lack of disability-inclusive adaptations, particularly in HIV services; heavy centralization of available services in urban areas, without accessible, affordable

  7. Motivation Peer Training ? Bridging the gap for people with mobility disabilities

    OpenAIRE

    Norris, Lucy K.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Only 2% of people with disabilities in developing countries have access to basic services and rehabilitation. Objectives: To bridge this gap, Motivation has been running Peer Training activities since 1993 and has identified that there is a growing need for Peer Training. The overall aim of Peer Training is for wheelchair users (Peer Trainers) to provide others (with similar disabilities) with the relevant knowledge on health issues, rights and skills to achieve a basic level o...

  8. The impact of living arrangements and deinstitutionalisation in the health status of persons with intellectual disability in Europe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Leal, R.; Salvador-Carulla, L.; Linehan, C.; Walsh, P.; Weber, G.; Van Hove, G.; Määttä, T.; Azema, B.; Haveman, M.; Buono, S.; Germanavicius, A.; van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, H.; Tossebro, J.; Carmen-Câra, A.; Moravec Berger, D.; Perry, J.; Kerr, M.

    2011-01-01

    Background Despite progress in the process of deinstitutionalisation, very little is known about the health conditions of people with intellectual disability (PWID) who live in large institutions and PWID living in small residential services, family homes or independent living within the community. Furthermore, there are no international comparison studies at European level of the health status and health risk factors of PWID living in fully staffed residential services with formal support and care compared with those living in unstaffed family homes or independent houses with no formal support. Methods A total of 1269 persons with ID and/or their proxy respondents were recruited and face-to-face interviewed in 14 EU countries with the P15, a multinational assessment battery for collecting data on health indicators relevant to PWID. Participants were grouped according to their living arrangements, availability of formal support and stage of deinstitutionalisation. Results Obesity and sedentary lifestyle along with a number of illnesses such as epilepsy, mental disorders, allergies or constipation were highly prevalent among PWID. A significantly higher presence of myocardial infarctions, chronic bronchitis, osteoporosis and gastric or duodenal ulcers was found among participants in countries considered to be at the early stage of deinstitutionalisation. Regardless of deinstitutionalisation stage, important deficits in variables related to such medical health promotion measures as vaccinations, cancer screenings and medical checks were found in family homes and independent living arrangements. Age, number of people living in the same home or number of places in residential services, presence of affective symptoms and obesity require further attention as they seem to be related to an increase in the number of illnesses suffered by PWID. Discussion Particular illnesses were found to be highly prevalent in PWID. There were important differences between different living

  9. Transportation use patterns of U.S. children and teenagers with disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheeler, Krista; Yang, Yan; Xiang, Huiyun

    2009-07-01

    statistically significant. In a separate model, the presence of mobility difficulties (OR, 6.78; 95% CI, 1.44-31.93) was statistically significant, as were age and income, while controlling for sex, race, residency, and other types of disability. Bus transportation was used by over a third of children without disabilities and close to half of children with disabilities for school travel. Multivariable logistic models showed significant associations with the problem of getting needed transportation and the age of the child, household income, and mobility difficulties.

  10. I’ll Be Back: On the Multiple Lives of Users of a Mobile Activity Tracking Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Zhiyuan; Althoff, Tim; Leskovec, Jure

    2018-01-01

    Mobile health applications that track activities, such as exercise, sleep, and diet, are becoming widely used. While these activity tracking applications have the potential to improve our health, user engagement and retention are critical factors for their success. However, long-term user engagement patterns in real-world activity tracking applications are not yet well understood. Here we study user engagement patterns within a mobile physical activity tracking application consisting of 115 million logged activities taken by over a million users over 31 months. Specifically, we show that over 75% of users return and re-engage with the application after prolonged periods of inactivity, no matter the duration of the inactivity. We find a surprising result that the re-engagement usage patterns resemble those of the start of the initial engagement period, rather than being a simple continuation of the end of the initial engagement period. This evidence points to a conceptual model of multiple lives of user engagement, extending the prevalent single life view of user activity. We demonstrate that these multiple lives occur because the users have a variety of different primary intents or goals for using the app. These primary intents are associated with how long each life lasts and how likely the user is to re-engage for a new life. We find evidence for users being more likely to stop using the app once they achieved their primary intent or goal (e.g., weight loss). However, these users might return once their original intent resurfaces (e.g., wanting to lose newly gained weight). We discuss implications of the multiple life paradigm and propose a novel prediction task of predicting the number of lives of a user. Based on insights developed in this work, including a marker of improved primary intent performance, our prediction models achieve 71% ROC AUC. Overall, our research has implications for modeling user re-engagement in health activity tracking applications and

  11. Impact, distress and HRQoL among Malaysian men and women with a mobility impairment

    OpenAIRE

    Omar Zaliha; Pallant Julie F; Manderson Lenore; Misajon RoseAnne; Bennett Elizabeth; Rahim Rameezan

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Background Although non-communicable and chronic disease now accounts for 47% of the global burden of disease, little is known of the everyday experiences and social aspects of disability and disablement in middle and low income countries. This article aims to address this gap by exploring the subjective experience of mobility impairment in Malaysia. Specifically, it examines health-related quality of life and the impact and distress related to impaired mobility, and investigates any...

  12. Improving care for people with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Sue

    2014-11-25

    People with learning disabilities have poorer health than the general population and experience health inequalities - partly as a result of problems with accessing health services. Health services have a duty to address health inequalities, by making reasonable adjustments to their services so they are more accessible to people with learning disabilities, but this does not always happen. Failure to make reasonable adjustments can have significant adverse effects for people with learning disabilities and their families. Nurses are well placed to implement reasonable adjustments, many of which are simple to do and can save lives.

  13. Infertility: Inability or Disability?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abha Khetarpal

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Disability is a complex phenomenon. It reflects an interaction between features of a person’s body and features of the society in which he or she lives. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, lays stress on the functional as well as the structural problem of a person. All the definitions of disability also include the disorders of the reproductive and endocrine system. So infertility and impotency should also be included in the category of disability. It affects the participation in areas of life and can have a disabling affect on an individual. Like any other disability the couple has to adapt and integrate infertility in their sense of self thus infertility comes as a major life crisis. Medically, infertility, in most cases, is considered to be the result of a physical impairment or a genetic abnormality. Socially, couples are incapable of their reproductive or parental roles. On social level, infertility in most cultures remains associated with social stigma and taboo just like the social model of disability. Couples who are unable to reproduce may be looked down upon due to social stigmatisation. Infertility can lead to divorces and separation leading to a broken family life. Without labelling infertility as a disability, it is difficult for the people to access services and welfare benefits offered by the government. Infertility treatments are highly sophisticated so they are very expensive and are even not covered by insurance and government aid.In the light of all this it becomes imperative to categorise infertility as disability.

  14. Using Virtual Reality To Teach Disability Awareness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pivik, Jayne; McComas, Joan; Macfarlane, Ian; Laflamme, Marc

    2002-01-01

    Describes the design and evaluation of a desktop virtual reality program that was developed to teach children about the accessibility and attitudinal barriers encountered by their peers with mobility impairments. Investigated attitudes, grade levels, familiarity with individuals with a disability, and gender. (Author/LRW)

  15. Perceived functioning and disability in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1: a survey according to the International Classification Of Functioning, Disability and Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kierkegaard, Marie; Harms-Ringdahl, Karin; Widén Holmqvist, Lotta; Tollbäck, Anna

    2009-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse self-rated perceived functioning, disability and environmental facilitators/barriers with regard to disease severity, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) checklist, in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Cross-sectional design. Forty-one women and 29 men with myotonic dystrophy type 1. A modified ICF checklist was used for self-rating of perceived problems in 29 body-function categories, difficulties in 52 activity and participation categories, and facilitators/barriers in 23 environmental-factor categories according to the verbal anchors of the ICF qualifiers. Disease severity classification was based on the muscular impairment rating scale. Of the persons with myotonic dystrophy type 1, 80% perceived problems of excessive daytime sleepiness, 76% of muscle power, and 66% of energy and drive functions, while over 59% perceived difficulties in physically demanding mobility activities. Disabilities in mobility, self-care and domestic life were more frequently reported by persons with severe disease. Support from the immediate family, medicines and social security services were perceived as facilitators for 50-60% of the participants. Disabilities and important environmental facilitators in adults with myotonic dystrophy type 1 were identified, and this clinically-relevant information can be used for developing health services for people with this condition.

  16. Disability mediates the impact of common conditions on perceived health.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordi Alonso

    Full Text Available We examined the extent to which disability mediates the observed associations of common mental and physical conditions with perceived health.WHO World Mental Health (WMH Surveys carried out in 22 countries worldwide (n = 51,344 respondents, 72.0% response rate. We assessed nine common mental conditions with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI, and ten chronic physical with a checklist. A visual analog scale (VAS score (0, worst to 100, best measured perceived health in the previous 30 days. Disability was assessed using a modified WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS, including: cognition, mobility, self-care, getting along, role functioning (life activities, family burden, stigma, and discrimination. Path analysis was used to estimate total effects of conditions on perceived health VAS and their separate direct and indirect (through the WHODAS dimensions effects. Twelve-month prevalence was 14.4% for any mental and 51.4% for any physical condition. 31.7% of respondents reported difficulties in role functioning, 11.4% in mobility, 8.3% in stigma, 8.1% in family burden and 6.9% in cognition. Other difficulties were much less common. Mean VAS score was 81.0 (SD = 0.1. Decrements in VAS scores were highest for neurological conditions (9.8, depression (8.2 and bipolar disorder (8.1. Across conditions, 36.8% (IQR: 31.2-51.5% of the total decrement in perceived health associated with the condition were mediated by WHODAS disabilities (significant for 17 of 19 conditions. Role functioning was the dominant mediator for both mental and physical conditions. Stigma and family burden were also important mediators for mental conditions, and mobility for physical conditions.More than a third of the decrement in perceived health associated with common conditions is mediated by disability. Although the decrement is similar for physical and mental conditions, the pattern of mediation is different. Research is needed on the

  17. A natural-language interface to a mobile robot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michalowski, S.; Crangle, C.; Liang, L.

    1987-01-01

    The present work on robot instructability is based on an ongoing effort to apply modern manipulation technology to serve the needs of the handicapped. The Stanford/VA Robotic Aid is a mobile manipulation system that is being developed to assist severely disabled persons (quadriplegics) in performing simple activities of everyday living in a homelike, unstructured environment. It consists of two major components: a nine degree-of-freedom manipulator and a stationary control console. In the work presented here, only the motions of the Robotic Aid's omnidirectional motion base have been considered, i.e., the six degrees of freedom of the arm and gripper have been ignored. The goal has been to develop some basic software tools for commanding the robot's motions in an enclosed room containing a few objects such as tables, chairs, and rugs. In the present work, the environmental model takes the form of a two-dimensional map with objects represented by polygons. Admittedly, such a highly simplified scheme bears little resemblance to the elaborate cognitive models of reality that are used in normal human discourse. In particular, the polygonal model is given a priori and does not contain any perceptual elements: there is no polygon sensor on board the mobile robot.

  18. Mobile health interventions in Indigenous populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerie Onyinyechi Umaefulam

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Humans are social beings and communication is vital and necessary for every cultural group which may be the primary motivator, why many populations worldwide have taken up mobile phones (1. Communication via mobile has significant cultural and identity implications for Indigenous people worldwide particularly those living in rural and hard to reach communities because due to globalization, a number of people now live away from their local communities for trade, employment, education, etc. Thus, mobile phones are devices for social networking and communication; and enables cultural connection and identification with family and friends. Its affordability, versatility of features, and portability create an opportunity for utilizing mobile technology to positively impact the health via health education, promotion, and provision of remote health services among others.

  19. Social position of persons with disabilities in and out of residential institution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marković Milan M.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The 2011 Census in the Republic of Serbia introduced, for the first time questions about difficulties in functioning, following the Recommendations from the Washington Group on Disability Statistics. Since there are no stable and continuous sources on the position of persons with disabilities in Serbia, the Census results may be used as a relevant source on disability measurement. Of course, due to the main goal of census disability measurement, and that is a general identification of disability in population, these results should be employed with certain reservations and carefully, especially because of some methodological specification in approaching disability. The main use of census data on disability should be found in evaluating the "equality of opportunity" in relevant areas, such as economic activity (labour and employment, education, living sources, etc. and this is to be achieved mainly through comparison between the values in the general population and population with disabilities. Having done that, we were able to conclude on visible inequality of opportunities between the general and population with disabilities. These discrapancies are indeed evident first in the area of education-especially in accessing elementary education, where the percentage of persons with disabilities that never attended school is extremely high (12.2% v. 2.68% in general population. The unfavourable status of persons with disabilities in the context of education continues in almost all levels of education. An even more obvious inequality of opportunity is present in the area of economic activity, where the prevalence of inactive persons with disability is very high - almost 90%. Having gone through all the age categories, what becomes abvious is a significantly lower activity among all age groups in comparison to the same groups in general population. However, the main goal of this article was to detect the discrapancies existing between the position of

  20. THE FACE OF DISABILITY IN NIGERIA: A DISABILITY SURVEY IN KOGI AND NIGER STATES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie Smith

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The Leprosy Mission Nigeria conducted a disability survey in Kogi and Niger States of Nigeria in 2005, investigating the demographic characteristics of people with disabilities, including gender, age, religion, marital, educational, occupational, employment and economic status, understanding of disability and health-seeking behaviour.   Information was gathered from a convenience sample of participants, across 30 randomly selected towns and villages in the two states. Twelve trained bilingual research assistants were used, to translate the English language questionnaire verbally into the local language of each participant.  From the 1093 respondents studied, the most common disabilities involved vision (37%, mobility (32% or hearing (15%. A third of these were less than 21 years of age and had no occupation, and 72% were Muslim. Over half of them had no education, 20% had primary, 8% secondary, 2% tertiary and 18% had Islamic education. Common occupations were begging (16%, studying (14%, farming (11% and trading (8%.The majority were unemployed (61% due to their disability. Over 70% were not able to access disability specific health services and 37% had an assistive device. Services accessed included health - mainstream (90%, traditional (61% and counselling (58%; and other - rehabilitation (30%, assistive device provision (24%, welfare (22%, special education (15%, vocational training (10% and economic empowerment (4%.  These results are comparable with findings in other studies. Disability affects a person’s ability to participate in education, work, family life and religion, influences health-seeking behaviour and contributes to poverty.See supplementary file for Survey Questionnaire.DOI 10.5463/DCID.v1i22.11 

  1. The Interface Between Violence, Disability, and Poverty: Stories From a Developing Country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neille, Joanne; Penn, Claire

    2015-07-30

    People with disabilities are vulnerable to multiple forms of violence in their everyday lives, including structural violence, deprivation, and physical, emotional, and sexual exploitation. Despite increasing reports of violence against people with disabilities, little is known about this phenomenon, especially in the context of poverty. Furthermore, the various types of violence have traditionally been studied in isolation, which has led to a limited understanding of the nature and persistence of violence in society, and has affected our understanding of the relationship between different forms of violence. In this article, we explore the relationship between violence, disability, and poverty among people living in a rural area of South Africa. Thirty adults with a variety of disabilities living in 12 rural villages in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa participated in the study. Each of the participants was provided with an opportunity to tell their life story. Narrative inquiry and participant observation were used to explore the ways in which violence pervades the participants' everyday experiences. Results were analyzed using thematic analysis and suggest that in the context of poverty, it is impossible to separate the experience of disability from the experience of violence. Structural violence was shown to underpin all other forms of interpersonal violence, making persons with disabilities vulnerable to additional forms of exploitation, and serve to further isolate people with disabilities from society, compromising both health and human rights. The findings suggest that an understanding of contextual factors is fundamental to understanding the relationship between violence and disability. © The Author(s) 2015.

  2. EOG Controlled Motorized Wheelchair for Disabled Persons

    OpenAIRE

    A. Naga Rajesh; S. Chandralingam; T. Anjaneyulu; K. Satyanarayana

    2014-01-01

    Assistive robotics are playing a vital role in advancing the quality of life for disable people. There exist wide range of systems that can control and guide autonomous mobile robots. The objective of the control system is to guide an autonomous mobile robot using the movement of eyes by means of EOG signal. The EOG signal is acquired using Ag/AgCl electrodes and this signal is processed by a microcontroller unit to calculate the eye gaze direction. Then according to the guidance control stra...

  3. Human Capital Accumulation of Children in Cameroon: Does Disability Really Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simo Fotso, Arlette; Solaz, Anne; Diene, Mbaye; Tsafack Nanfosso, Roger

    2018-01-01

    Although most of the world's disabled people live in developing countries, little is known about the consequences of disability in this part of the world. Using the DHS-MICS 2011 data of Cameroon, this paper contributes to the literature by providing new robust estimates of the effect of child disability on education in a developing country…

  4. The Impact of Service Dogs on Engagement in Occupation among Females with Mobility Impairments: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herlache-Pretzer, Ellen; Winkle, Melissa Y; Csatari, Rachel; Kolanowski, Alyssa; Londry, Amy; Dawson, Rachel

    2017-06-16

    It is becoming more common for people with disabilities to procure service dogs as a form of assistive technology (AT). However, there is little qualitative research examining the impact of service dogs on engagement in valued daily activities (occupations) among persons with mobility impairments. This study used a qualitative descriptive methodology to learn about the experiences of four female service dog owners with mobility impairments, with a focus on the impact of service dog use on the performance of daily occupations and participation in social activities, and their experiences utilizing a service dog as a form of AT. Data analysis indicated that each participant's service dog made a significant impact on their everyday lives and their ability to independently perform everyday activities; however, there are also unique challenges associated with service dog ownership that must be considered when evaluating benefits of service dog partnership. Overall, the positive outcomes reported by participants indicate that service dogs can be considered a beneficial, adaptable form of AT for some persons with mobility impairments.

  5. 14 CFR 382.127 - What procedures apply to stowage of battery-powered mobility aids?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ...-powered mobility aids? 382.127 Section 382.127 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT... DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL Stowage of Wheelchairs, Other Mobility Aids, and Other Assistive Devices § 382.127 What procedures apply to stowage of battery-powered mobility aids? (a) Whenever baggage compartment...

  6. "Learning on the Move": The Behavioural Intentions of Nigerian Students with Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oladejo, Maruff Akinwale; Adetoro, Jeremiah Adeniran; Oyebade, Stephen Adebanjo; Adedoyin, Adenike Omowunmi Fagunwa

    2018-01-01

    There has been an increased global attention on the need to make education more flexible and accessible due to the advent of modern mobile technologies. These modern mobile technologies enable people including those with disabilities to receive education anywhere and anytime. This study therefore investigated the behavioural intentions of Nigerian…

  7. Disabled people - rehabilitation with sport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasz Łosień

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Sport was used to complement  therapy in original form, improve of motor patterns and reeducate functions of people with disabilities. With a passing of time, sport evolved to integrated part of rehabilitation as an element of improvement. Moreover, he became as a tool to improve the social integration of people which finished the treatment or/and have deficits. We can notice the huge sport development of people with disabilities, which was initiated by Sir Ludwig Guttmann’s who claimed that view of sport is equal for people with disabilities and able-bodied people. The quality of physical activity of people with disabilities is indicated by motor preparation, training and sport (wellness, nutritionist, sport and exercise psychologist which currently is all the same except individual approach to particular dysfunction of the person with disability. Sport allow to develop not only physical sphere, but also teaches social integration, teamwork skills, self-discipline, improves the quality of life and outcome of the  ADL scale (activities of daily living scale of people with disabilities which do sport actively. The variety of sports disciplines and ability to use appropriate orthopedic stuff allows to activate people with every kind of disabilities and dysfunction.

  8. Disability and quality of life in community-dwelling elderly cancer survivors: Case-control study in the Korean population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Myung Kyung

    2016-10-01

    Advanced age is a significant risk factor for cancer and functional disabilities increase with age. The purpose of this case-control study of Korean individuals was to determine the effect of cancer and cancer treatment on functional disability and quality of life (QOL). Thus, we compared community-dwelling elderly cancer patients (ECPs) with individuals from the general elderly population (GEP) who never had diagnoses of cancer. We selected 1776 ECP who were at least 65 years-old from the 2008 Korean Community Health Survey data and used propensity score matching to randomly select 1766 individuals from the GEP who closely resembled the ECPs. Functional disability was measured using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, and QOL was measured by the EuroQol Group EQ-5D. ECPs were more dependent in preparation of food, doing laundry, and shopping (IADL scale), and in mobility and usual activities (EQ-5D). Although ECP had more problems with pain, discomfort, anxiety, and depression, they were more independent in self-care and handling of financial responsibilities. ECPs had multiple physical and psychological symptoms that adversely affected functional disability and QOL, but higher functional ability, such as self-care and handling of financial responsibilities. Promotion of self-care by ECPs is pivotal for effective management in community practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Special education for intellectual disability: current trends and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kauffman, James M; Hung, Li-Yu

    2009-09-01

    To inform readers of current issues in special education for individuals with intellectual disabilities and summarize recent research and opinion. Two issues dominate special education for students with intellectual disabilities in the early 21st century. First, what should be taught to such students and who should teach them? Second, where should such students be taught - in 'inclusive' settings alongside normal peers or in special settings dedicated to their special needs? Research on teaching reading, arithmetic, and functional daily living skills to students with disabilities suggests the superiority of direct, systematic instruction. Universal design is often seen as supportive of inclusion. Inclusion has been seen as the central issue in special education but is gradually giving way to concern for what students learn. Direct, systematic instruction in reading, arithmetic, and daily living skills is the most effective approach to teaching students with intellectual disabilities. Basic concepts and logic suggest that special and general education cannot be equivalent. We conclude that what students are taught should be put ahead of where they are taught. Our fundamental concern is that students with intellectual disabilities be respected and be taught all they can learn.

  10. The effect of an outdoor activities' intervention delivered by older volunteers on the quality of life of older people with severe mobility limitations: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rantanen, Taina; Äyräväinen, Irma; Eronen, Johanna; Lyyra, Tiinamari; Törmäkangas, Timo; Vaarama, Marja; Rantakokko, Merja

    2015-04-01

    Older community-living disabled people often have unmet activity needs and participation restrictions potentially reducing their quality of life (QoL). We examined the effects of an individualized out-of-home activity intervention delivered by volunteers on QoL among community-living older people, who have difficulty accessing the outdoors independently. Volunteering, Access to Outdoor Activities and Wellbeing in Older People (VOW; ISRCTN56847832) was a two-arm randomized single-blinded, controlled effectiveness trial (RCT) in Jyväskylä, Finland. The inclusion criteria were: age 65 or over, severe mobility limitation, able to communicate, and agree to participate in a RCT. Each intervention group member was assigned a trained volunteer with whom out-of-home activities were done once a week for 3 months (e.g., running errands or recreational activities). The primary outcome was the environmental subscore of QoL assessed with WHOQOL-BREF. Secondary outcomes were the overall QoL, physical capacity, psychological well-being, and social relationships assessed with WHOQOL_BREF and lower-extremity performance assessed with Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). 121 people aged 67-92 years (mean age 81.9 years, SD 5.9, 90 % women) were randomized. No treatment effect on the environmental QoL subscore was observed, but for physical capacity subscore a significant treatment effect was observed (General Linear Model, Group by Time p = 0.001). No effects were observed for the other QoL subscores or for SPPB score. This study suggests that individualized out-of-home activity intervention delivered by volunteers may influence the QoL of old severely mobility-limited community-living people in a positive way. Further studies are needed to better understand how to improve QoL of older disabled community-living people and potentially buffer them against more severe care needs and institutionalization.

  11. Prestroke Mobility and Dementia as Predictors of Stroke Outcomes in Patients Over 65 Years of Age: A Cohort Study From The Swedish Dementia and Stroke Registries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Ptacek, Sara; Contreras Escamez, Beatriz; Zupanic, Eva; Religa, Dorota; von Koch, Lena; Johnell, Kristina; von Euler, Mia; Kåreholt, Ingemar; Eriksdotter, Maria

    2018-02-01

    To explore the association between prestroke mobility dependency and dementia on functioning and mortality outcomes after stroke in patients>65 years of age. Longitudinal cohort study based on SveDem, the Swedish Dementia Registry and Riksstroke, the Swedish Stroke Registry. A total of 1689 patients with dementia >65 years of age registered in SveDem and suffering a first stroke between 2007 and 2014 were matched with 7973 controls without dementia with stroke. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for intrahospital mortality, and functioning and mortality outcomes at 3 months were calculated. Functioning included level of residential assistance (living at home without help, at home with help, or nursing home) and mobility dependency (independent, needing help to move outdoors, or needing help indoors and outdoors). Prestroke dependency in activities of daily living and mobility were worse in patients with dementia than controls without dementia. In unadjusted analyses, patients with dementia were more often discharged to nursing homes (51% vs 20%; P mobility (OR 2.57; 2.20-3.02). Patients with dementia who were independent for mobility prestroke were more likely to be discharged to a nursing home compared with patients without dementia with the same prestroke mobility (37% vs 16%; P mobility limitations were associated with higher odds for poorer mobility, needing more residential assistance, and death. Patients with mobility impairments and/or dementia present a high burden of disability after a stroke. There is a need for research on stroke interventions among these populations. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Time trends in socio-economic inequalities for women and men with disabilities in Australia: evidence of persisting inequalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavanagh, Anne M; Krnjacki, Lauren; Beer, Andrew; Lamontagne, Anthony D; Bentley, Rebecca

    2013-08-29

    The socio-economic circumstances and health of people with disabilities has been relatively ignored in public health research, policy and practice in Australia and internationally. This is despite emerging evidence that the socio-economic circumstances that people with disabilities live in contributes to their poorer health. Compared to other developed countries, Australians with disabilities are more likely to live in disadvantaged circumstances, despite being an economically prosperous country; it is therefore likely that the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Australians with disabilities makes a significant contribution to their health. Despite the importance of this issue Australia does not routinely monitor the socio-economic inequalities for people with disabilities. This paper addresses this gap by describing time trends in socio-economic conditions for Australians with and without disabilities according to the severity of the disability and sex. Cross-sectional analyses of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers were carried out at three time points (1998, 2003 and 2009) to estimate the proportions of women and men (aged between 25 and 64 years) who were living on low incomes, had not completed year 12, were not in paid work, living in private rental and experiencing multiple disadvantage (three or more of the indicators). People with disabilities are less likely to have completed year 12, be in paid work and are more likely to be living on low incomes and experiencing multiple disadvantage. These conditions worsened with increasing severity of disability and increased or persisted over time, with most of the increase between 1998 and 2003. While women with milder disabilities tended to fare worse than men, the proportions were similar for those with moderate and severe/profound disabilities. People with disabilities experience high levels of socio-economic disadvantage which has increased or persisted over time

  13. Lived experiences of student nurses caring for intellectually disabled people in a public psychiatric institution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annie Temane

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Caring for intellectually disabled people can be demanding for student nurses who are novices in the nursing profession. To ensure that quality nursing care is provided, student nurses should have an understanding of and a positive attitude towards intellectually disabled people. Nursing intellectually disabled people can be a challenge for the student nurses. Therefore, student nurses need to be able to deal with challenges of caring for intellectually disabled people. Objective: This article aims to explore and describe experiences of student nurses caring for intellectually disabled people in a public psychiatric institution. Design and method: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. Data were collected through individual in-depth phenomenological interviews, naïve sketches and field notes. Thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the collected data. Results were contextualised within the literature and measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to. Ethical principals were also applied throughout the research process. Results: Five themes emerged from the data. Student nurses experienced a profoundly unsettling impact on their whole being when caring for intellectually disabled people; they developed a sense of compassion and a new way of looking at life, and experienced a need for certain physical, mental and spiritual needs to be met. Conclusion: From the results, it is evident that student nurses were challenged in caring for intellectually disabled people. However, they developed a sense of awareness that intellectually disabled people have a need to be cared for like any other person. Keywords: experiences, student nurses, caring, intellectually disabled people, public psychiatric institution

  14. Assessing disability weights based on the responses of 30,660 people from four European countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.A. Haagsma (Juanita); C.M. de Noordhout (Charline Maertens); S. Polinder (Suzanne); T. Vos (Theo); A.H. Havelaar (Arie H); A. Cassini (Alessandro); B. Devleesschauwer (Brecht); M.E.E. Kretzschmar (Mirjam); N. Speybroeck (Niko); J.A. Salomon (Joshua A)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractBackground: In calculations of burden of disease using disability-adjusted life years, disability weights are needed to quantify health losses relating to non-fatal outcomes, expressed as years lived with disability. In 2012 a new set of global disability weights was published for the

  15. Lived History of a Transformative Leader with a Disability: An Evocative Autoethnography for Social Justice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergara, Sofia

    2017-01-01

    Despite legal advancements recognizing the rights of individuals with disabilities, societal barriers are still arising from the medical model of disability. These obstacles have resulted in marginalizing and isolating practices, in turn leading to the underrepresentation of individuals with disabilities in the workforce and, by extension, in…

  16. 76 FR 57924 - Transportation for Individuals With Disabilities at Intercity, Commuter, and High Speed Passenger...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-19

    ... provide a written communication to the railroad setting forth the reasons for the delay and an estimate of... speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities or their mobility devices..., not on mere speculation, stereotypes, or generalizations about individuals with disabilities or about...

  17. Cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people: Results of a cluster randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suijker, Jacqueline J; MacNeil-Vroomen, Janet L; van Rijn, Marjon; Buurman, Bianca M; de Rooij, Sophia E; Moll van Charante, Eric P; Bosmans, Judith E

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of nurse-led multifactorial care to prevent or postpone new disabilities in community-living older people in comparison with usual care. We conducted cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses alongside a cluster randomized trial with one-year follow-up. Participants were aged ≥ 70 years and at increased risk of functional decline. Participants in the intervention group (n = 1209) received a comprehensive geriatric assessment and individually tailored multifactorial interventions coordinated by a community-care registered nurse with multiple follow-up visits. The control group (n = 1074) received usual care. Costs were assessed from a healthcare perspective. Outcome measures included disability (modified Katz-Activities of Daily Living (ADL) index score), and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Statistical uncertainty surrounding Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios (ICERs) was estimated using bootstrapped bivariate regression models while adjusting for confounders. There were no statistically significant differences in Katz-ADL index score and QALYs between the two groups. Total mean costs were significantly higher in the intervention group (EUR 6518 (SE 472) compared with usual care (EUR 5214 (SE 338); adjusted mean difference €1457 (95% CI: 572; 2537). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that the maximum probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 0.14 at a willingness to pay (WTP) of EUR 50,000 per one point improvement on the Katz-ADL index score and 0.04 at a WTP of EUR 50,000 per QALY gained. The current intervention was not cost-effective compared to usual care to prevent or postpone new disabilities over a one-year period. Based on these findings, implementation of the evaluated multifactorial nurse-led care model is not to be recommended.

  18. Vital Signs: Disability and Physical Activity — United States, 2009–2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carroll, Dianna D.; Courtney-Long, Elizabeth A.; Stevens, Alissa C.; Sloan, Michelle L.; Lullo, Carolyn; Visser, Susanna N.; Fox, Michael H.; Armour, Brian S.; Campbell, Vincent A.; Brown, David R.; Dorn, Joan M.

    2014-01-01

    Background Adults with disabilities are less active and have higher rates of chronic disease than the general population. Given the health benefits of physical activity, understanding physical activity, its relationship with chronic disease, and health professional recommendations for physical activity among young to middle-age adults with disabilities could help increase the effectiveness of health promotion efforts. Methods Data from the 2009–2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to estimate the prevalence of, and association between, aerobic physical activity (inactive, insufficiently active, or active) and chronic diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer) among adults aged 18–64 years by disability status and type (hearing, vision, cognitive, and mobility). The prevalence of, and association between, receiving a health professional recommendation for physical activity and level of aerobic physical activity was assessed using 2010 data. Results Overall, 11.6% of U.S. adults aged 18–64 years reported a disability, with estimates for disability type ranging from 1.7% (vision) to 5.8% (mobility). Compared with adults without disabilities, inactivity was more prevalent among adults with any disability (47.1% versus 26.1%) and for adults with each type of disability. Inactive adults with disabilities were 50% more likely to report one or more chronic diseases than those who were physically active. Approximately 44% of adults with disabilities received a recommendation from a health professional for physical activity in the past 12 months. Conclusions Almost half of adults with disabilities are physically inactive and are more likely to have a chronic disease. Among adults with disabilities who visited a health professional in the past 12 months, the majority (56%) did not receive a recommendation for physical activity. Implications for Public Health These data highlight the need for increased physical activity among persons with

  19. Identifying an outcome measure to assess the impact of Mobility Dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mudge, Suzie; Rewi, Dallas; Channon, Alexis

    2017-01-01

    Mobility Dogs® trains dogs to work with people with physical disabilities to increase independence, confidence, self-esteem and participation. Mobility Dogs® seeks to critically evaluate and improve its services as it grows. This study aimed to identify and implement a standardised outcome measure into practice at Mobility Dogs®. Based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and guided by a steering group of key stakeholders, a three-phase approach was developed to identify and assess an outcome measure. The steering group highlighted the organisation's specific needs, selected participation as the assessment domain and identified core utility requirements of the measure. A comprehensive review of evidence was undertaken to identify and rank potential measures according to the specified needs. Of the seven participation outcome measures that met inclusion criteria, the three highest ranked measures were critically evaluated by the steering group to determine suitability against the organisation's needs. The Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA) was selected for implementation into practice at Mobility Dogs®. Use of the IPA is an important first step for Mobility Dogs® to test the benefits of trained service dogs. This process could be replicated by other service dog organisations to identify outcome measures to assess their own services. Implications for Rehabilitation Service dogs (such as Mobility Dogs® in New Zealand) assist people living with physical impairments by performing tasks, however there is limited evidence on outcomes. The process for selecting an appropriate outcome measure for Mobility Dogs® involving partnership between Mobility Dogs® personnel and academics was an effective way to steer the project by determining important properties of the measure, before a search of the literature was undertaken. While the IPA was selected as the most appropriate outcome measure for use at Mobility Dogs®, it was the process that

  20. Community Living Skills Guide: Cooking/Food Preparation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickovich, Marti; Kreps, Alice Roelofs

    One of twenty course guides in the Community Living Skills Guide for the College for Living series, this document provides guidelines and workbook activities for the course, Cooking/Food Preparation. The series of courses for developmentally disabled adults is intended to supplement residential programs and to aid in orienting institutionalized…

  1. Enhancing Transportation Education Using Mobile Devices and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallup, Jennifer; Lamothe, Saron N.; Gallup, Adam

    2015-01-01

    The most salient aspect of independent living and successful post-high school transition to employment is having the ability to independently use transportation. Adolescents and young adults with disabilities continue to experience significantly lower employment rates than their peers without disabilities (Wagner et al., 2003). One way to support…

  2. Social relations as determinant of onset of disability in aging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Avlund, Kirsten; Holstein, Bjørn E; Due, Pernille

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to analyze whether social relations are related to onset of disability among old people at 1.5 year follow-up and whether these relations vary by age and gender. The study is based on baseline and 1.5 year follow-up data on 1396 older non-disabled adults. Social...... relations were measured by questions about diversity in social relations, social participation, satisfaction with social relations and instrumental social support. Onset of disability was described as developing need of help in at least one of six mobility activities. The results showed that a large...

  3. Social relations as determinant of onset of disability in aging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Avlund, Kirsten; Lund, Rikke; Holstein, Bjørn E

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to analyze whether social relations are related to onset of disability among old people at 1.5 year follow-up and whether these relations vary by age and gender. The study is based on baseline and 1.5 year follow-up data on 1396 older non-disabled adults. Social...... relations were measured by questions about diversity in social relations, social participation, satisfaction with social relations and instrumental social support. Onset of disability was described as developing need of help in at least one of six mobility activities. The results showed that a large...

  4. A Secure Operational Model for Mobile Payments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao-Ku Chang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Instead of paying by cash, check, or credit cards, customers can now also use their mobile devices to pay for a wide range of services and both digital and physical goods. However, customers’ security concerns are a major barrier to the broad adoption and use of mobile payments. In this paper we present the design of a secure operational model for mobile payments in which access control is based on a service-oriented architecture. A customer uses his/her mobile device to get authorization from a remote server and generate a two-dimensional barcode as the payment certificate. This payment certificate has a time limit and can be used once only. The system also provides the ability to remotely lock and disable the mobile payment service.

  5. An Integrative Conceptual Framework of Disability: New Directions for Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tate, Denise G.; Pledger, Constance

    2003-01-01

    Examines various disability paradigms across time, assessing the relative contribution of the socioecological perspective in guiding research designed to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Recommends new research directions that include a focus on life span issues, biomedicine, biotechnology, the efficacy and effectiveness of current…

  6. Moving Circles: mobile media and playful identities

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M.L. de Lange (Michiel)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractThe mobile phone has become part of our everyday lives with astonishing speed. Over four billion people now have access to mobile phones, and this number keeps increasing. Mobile media technologies shape how we communicate with each other, and relate to the world. This

  7. Disability and Democracy in Cambodia: An Integrative Approach to Community Building and Civic Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zook, Darren C.

    2010-01-01

    The political framework through which the various communities of disabled persons in Cambodia advocate for and claim their rights is complex and confusing. Both governmental and non-governmental actors engage this political framework through the mobilization of persons from the various disabled communities, competing in the civic sphere through…

  8. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moesgaard Iburg, Kim

    2016-01-01

    in adults. For the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015), we estimated the incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for diseases and injuries at the global, regional, and national scale over the period of 1990 to 2015. Methods We estimated incidence...... and prevalence by age, sex, cause, year, and geography with a wide range of updated and standardised analytical procedures. Improvements from GBD 2013 included the addition of new data sources, updates to literature reviews for 85 causes, and the identification and inclusion of additional studies published up...... of years lived with disability (YLDs) on a global basis. NCDs accounted for 18 of the leading 20 causes of age-standardised YLDs on a global scale. Where rates were decreasing, the rate of decrease for YLDs was slower than that of years of life lost (YLLs) for nearly every cause included in our analysis...

  9. Disabilities among refugees and conflict-affected populations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachael Reilly

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available In 2007 the Women’s Refugee Commission launched a major research project to assess the situation for those living with disabilities among displaced and conflict-affected populations.

  10. Mobile culture among children and adolescents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ling, Richard; Bertel, Troels Fibæk

    2013-01-01

    The mobile phone has become a taken for granted part of teens’ lives. In many countries the vast majority of adolescents have a mobile phone and use it to coordinate, as a safety link and to weave their social networks and interact with their parents. Teens have used the mobile phone as an element...

  11. Recent trends in assistive technology for mobility

    OpenAIRE

    Cowan, RE; Fregly, BJ; Boninger, ML; Chan, L; Rodgers, MM; Reinkensmeyer, DJ

    2012-01-01

    Loss of physical mobility makes maximal participation in desired activities more difficult and in the worst case fully prevents participation. This paper surveys recent work in assistive technology to improve mobility for persons with a disability, drawing on examples observ ed during a tour of academic and industrial research sites in Europe. The underlying theme of this recent work is a more seamless integration of the capabilities of the user and the assistive technology. This improved int...

  12. End-of-life training for paid carers working with people with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Codling, Mary; Knowles, Jane; Vevers, Ann

    2014-04-01

    People with learning disabilities are living longer lives. Over the past few years, research has explored the needs of people with learning disabilities, their families and learning disability professionals in relation to end-of-life care and death. However, little is known about the needs of paid carers and their experience of end-of-life care. This article discusses the development, implementation and evaluation of a study day about end-of-life care that was delivered to paid carers on two separate occasions in Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. A total of 43 paid carers attended and the days were well evaluated. The need for further training for paid carers who work with people with learning disabilities at the end of life was highlighted.

  13. Girls and Women with Physical Disabilities: Needs and Problems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Sharifian-Sani

    2006-07-01

    problems and believing in their abilities rather than their disabilities, presence of a family member when in public places. The following comprises their priorities of problems in the different fields. Educational field: difficulties of transportation and mobility, the lack of educational resources and facilities employment: again the problems of transportation and mobility, the lack of legislative protection of their employment problems in marital life: the interference of others, domestic tasks Violence: violent behaviour and indifference mobility and transportation: the unsuitability of public transport in regards to their specific needs, pedestrian pavements and public pathways difficulties in spending their leisure time: the absence of special or appropriate transport for access to recreational places, the financial shortage for using the facilities of these places. Conclusion: The findings of our research revealed the priorities of needs and problems of girls and women with physical disabilities from their point of view. In the different fields including: Oeducation, employment, martial life, transportation, treatment and rehabilitatin, leisure timeo and communication.

  14. Disability and Bureaucratic Forms of Life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Abrams

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper employs a hybrid actor-network theory/phenomenological approach to a frequent bother in the lives of disabled persons: bureaucratic forms. I argue that these forms are key sites where disabled personhood emerges, something I examine through the lens of what philosopher Annemarie Mol calls ‘ontological politics’. To be disabled is to be entered into the bureaucratic form of life. These forms translate human existence into a categorize-able, transportable and combinable object, to be administered through ‘centers of calculation’. Combining Heidegger’s fundamental ontology with Latour’s theory of paperwork, I suggest that these forms represent disability in terms of ‘objective presence’, as a mere pre-existing thing, rather than a human way of being. I conclude with suggestions for further phenomenological research that takes embodied difference as its point of departure.

  15. Co-researching with people who have intellectual disabilities: insights from a national survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Patricia; McConkey, Roy; García-Iriarte, Edurne

    2014-01-01

    Inclusive research with people with intellectual disabilities is growing internationally but with few studies examining its feasibility. In undertaking a national study exploring what life was like in Ireland for people with intellectual disabilities, a community of practice was developed involving a core group of co-researchers: five people with intellectual disabilities, four university researchers and three service support staff. An additional cadre of 15 co-researchers with intellectual disabilities was recruited to undertake data gathering and analysis with 23 focus groups involving 168 participants. The research experience was documented through oral feedback, progress reports, minutes and a project review. The key learning is documented arising from the setting up of an inclusive advisory group and implementation of each of six research steps. The study demonstrates feasibility and the added value of university co-researchers recruiting and developing skills together with co-researchers with intellectual disabilities. Topics for further research and development are identified. This paper tells you about how people with intellectual disabilities worked with a group of university researchers. Both groups were called co-researchers and together they ran 23 focus groups across Ireland. People with intellectual disabilities talked about their lives and what could make them better. They said they needed to have a good place to live; a job; enough money; relationships; and acceptance as respected citizens. The university co-researchers wrote about what it was like doing research together and how people with intellectual disabilities joined the advisory group; decided on the questions; ran focus groups; and presented findings. Together they grew into a community of researchers where the university co-researchers shared their research skills and people with intellectual disabilities shared what it was like living with a disability. They both saw great value in

  16. Addressing user expectations in mobile content delivery

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Agboma, F.; Liotta, A.

    2007-01-01

    Multimedia services like television programs and live streaming of mobile videos can be delivered to mobile terminals via different access technologies. The question is – how do users perceive such services on mobile terminals? The objective of this study is to find the correlation between video

  17. Re-thinking residential mobility

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Ham, Maarten; Findlay, Allan M.

    2015-01-01

    While researchers are increasingly re-conceptualizing international migration, far less attention has been devoted to re-thinking short-distance residential mobility and immobility. In this paper we harness the life course approach to propose a new conceptual framework for residential mobility research. We contend that residential mobility and immobility should be re-conceptualized as relational practices that link lives through time and space while connecting people to structural conditions. Re-thinking and re-assessing residential mobility by exploiting new developments in longitudinal analysis will allow geographers to understand, critique and address pressing societal challenges. PMID:27330243

  18. Gender differences in life expectancy with and without disability among older adults in Ecuador.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egüez-Guevara, Pilar; Andrade, Flávia Cristina Drumond

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge on disability's impact among older women and men in Ecuador is limited. This paper provides gender-specific estimates of disability prevalence, life expectancy with and without disability, and the factors associated with gender differences in disability at older age in Ecuador (2009-2010). Data from the Health, Well-Being, and Aging Survey (SABE) Ecuador 2009 was used. Participants were 4480 men and women aged 60 and over. Life expectancy with and without disability was calculated using the Sullivan method. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore gender differences in disability prevalence. Two disability measures, indicating limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), were used. 60-year-old women in Ecuador can expect to live 16.3 years without ADL limitations compared to 16.9 years for men. Life expectancy without IADL limitations was 12.5 years for women and 15.5 years for men. At age 60, women's length of life with ADL and IADL disability was higher (7.9 years for women vs. 4.9 years for men with ADL, and 11.7 years for women vs. 6.3 years for men with IADL). After controlling for socioeconomic characteristics, chronic conditions and lifestyle factors, gender differences in ADL disability were not statistically significant. However, older women were 58% more likely (OR=1.58, 95% CI 1.27, 1.95) to report having IADL limitations than men, even after including control variables. Interventions should tackle chronic disease, physical inactivity, and socioeconomic differences to reduce women's vulnerability to disability in older age. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. People living with psychosocial disability: Rehabilitation and recovery-informed service provision within the second Australian national survey of psychosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Carol; Brophy, Lisa; Parsons, Samuel; Moeller-Saxone, Kristen; Grigg, Margaret; Siskind, Dan

    2016-06-01

    People with psychosocial disability are an important, although often neglected, subgroup of those living with severe and persistent mental illness. Rehabilitation, provided through clinical and non-government organisations in Australia, may contribute to their personal recovery goals. We hypothesised that people with psychoses with the greatest disability and complex needs would receive services from both sectors, reflecting treatment and rehabilitation needs. Participants in the 2010 Australian national survey of psychosis (n = 1825) were interviewed to assess demographic, functional, mental and physical health characteristics and service use in the previous year. Two subgroups were created and compared: those using services from community mental health with, and without, non-governmental organisation involvement. Group membership was predicted by hierarchical logistic regression using variables selected on a priori grounds. Usefulness of the final model was examined by calculating improvement over the rate of accuracy achievable by chance alone. The model was statistically significant but fell just short of useful (criterion 71.6%, model achieved 70.6%). Four independent variables contributed uniquely to predicting whether participants received both services (never married, childhood trauma, group accommodation, poor global functioning) consistent with the hypothesis. However, severe dysfunction in socialising was less likely to predict membership of the combined services group when compared with no dysfunction (p = 0.001, odds ratio = 0.384, confidence interval = [0.218, 0.677]), as was current smoking compared with none (p = 0.001, odds ratio = 0.606, confidence interval = [0.445, 0.824]). Findings suggest services provided by non-governmental organisations are targeted to those with the greatest disability although targeting could be improved. A subgroup of people with psychosis and severe disability in community mental health

  20. Demographic and psychosocial characteristics of mobile phone ownership and usage among youth living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swahn, Monica H; Braunstein, Sarah; Kasirye, Rogers

    2014-08-01

    The use of mobile phones and other technology for improving health through research and practice is growing quickly, in particular in areas with difficult-to-reach population or where the research infrastructure is less developed. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there appears to be a dramatic increase in mobile phone ownership and new initiatives that capitalize on this technology to support health promotion campaigns to change behavior and to increase health literacy. However, the extent to which difficult-to-reach youth in the slums of Kampala may own and use mobile phones has not been reported despite the burden of injuries, substance use, and HIV that they face. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of mobile phone ownership and use in this high-risk population and to identify psychosocial characteristics that may differentiate those owning and using a phone from those who do not. We conducted secondary analyses of the Kampala Youth Survey (N=457). Data collection took place in 2011, and the survey was designed to quantify high-risk behaviors in a convenience sample of urban youth living on the streets or in the slums, 14-24 years of age, who were participating in a Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in center for disadvantaged street youth. We computed chi-square analyses to determine any significant differences in psychosocial characteristics based on phone ownership and use. Overall, 46.9% of youth reported owning a mobile phone and ownership did not vary by sex but was more common among youth older than 18 years of age. Mobile phone ownership was also more common among those who reported taking care of themselves at night, who reported current drug use and who reported trading sex for money, food or other things. Given that nearly half of the youth own and use phones daily, new research is needed to determine next steps for mobile health (mhealth), including the feasibility of using mobile phones for data collection and interventions with this

  1. Demographic and Psychosocial Characteristics of Mobile Phone Ownership and Usage among Youth Living in the Slums of Kampala, Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica H. Swahn

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The use of mobile phones and other technology for improving health through research and practice is growing quickly, in particular in areas with difficult-to-reach population or where the research infrastructure is less developed. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there appears to be a dramatic increase in mobile phone ownership and new initiatives that capitalize on this technology to support health promotion campaigns to change behavior and to increase health literacy. However, the extent to which difficult-to-reach youth in the slums of Kampala may own and use mobile phones has not been reported despite the burden of injuries, substance use, and HIV that they face. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of mobile phone ownership and use in this high-risk population and to identify psychosocial characteristics that may differentiate those owning and using a phone from those who do not. Methods: We conducted secondary analyses of the Kampala Youth Survey (N¼457. Data collection took place in 2011, and the survey was designed to quantify high-risk behaviors in a convenience sample of urban youth living on the streets or in the slums, 14–24 years of age, who were participating in a Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in center for disadvantaged street youth. We computed chisquare analyses to determine any significant differences in psychosocial characteristics based on phone ownership and use. Results: Overall, 46.9% of youth reported owning a mobile phone and ownership did not vary by sex but was more common among youth older than 18 years of age. Mobile phone ownership was also more common among those who reported taking care of themselves at night, who reported current drug use and who reported trading sex for money, food or other things. Conclusion: Given that nearly half of the youth own and use phones daily, new research is needed to determine next steps for mobile health (mhealth, including the feasibility of using

  2. "It's My Life": Autonomy and People with Intellectual Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Björnsdóttir, Kristín; Stefánsdóttir, Guðrún V; Stefánsdóttir, Ástríður

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses autonomy in the lives of adults with intellectual disabilities. The article draws on inclusive research in Iceland with 25 women and 16 men and employs ideas of relational autonomy from the perspectives of the Nordic relational approach to disability. In this article, we examine autonomy in relation to private life, that is,…

  3. Emancipatory Research and Disabled People: Some Observations and Questions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Len

    2005-01-01

    Many factors contribute to the oppression and discrimination of disabled people and to their exclusion from key decisions affecting the quality of their lives. In the last two decades in particular there has been an increasing interest in many societies over the role of research in relation to the empowerment and thus inclusion of disabled people.…

  4. Sport Injuries Sustained by Athletes with Disability: A Systematic Review

    OpenAIRE

    Weiler, Richard; Van Mechelen, Willem; Fuller, Colin; Verhagen, Evert

    2016-01-01

    Background Fifteen percent of the world?s population live with disability, and many of these individuals choose to play sport. There are barriers to sport participation for athletes with disability and sports injury can greatly impact on daily life, which makes sports injury prevention additionally important. Objective The purpose of this review is to systematically review the definitions, methodologies and injury rates in disability sport, which should assist future identification of risk fa...

  5. A community of citizens: disability rehabilitation in the Palestinian transition to statehood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giacaman, R

    2001-09-20

    It has been widely argued that community based programmes offer considerable advantages to the classical institutional forms of health and rehabilitation services delivery. With about 10 years of experience in operating community based rehabilitation projects (CBR) for the disabled, the Palestinian experience points to potentially serious problems relating to the conception and operationalization of such programmes in real life situations. Of importance is the issue of the impact of communal care on the already burdened lives of women, especially when such care is expected to be voluntary in nature. Caretaking in the Palestinian context, especially of the disabled, elderly and the sick, is a pre-defined sex linked role dictated by a patriarchal society and system of policy making that excludes women from economic and social life. The voluntary care aspect entailed in the CBR conception and practice, can and does contribute further to the exclusion of women not only from the labour force, but from most other aspects of life as well. This represents an apparent contradiction between the needs of two excluded groups, the disabled and women. The other problematic entailed in the communal model of caring for the disabled is the strategic and operational bias focusing on community, to the exclusion of the notion of social rights of all citizens, and the role and duty of state structures in the fulfilment of the disabled basic needs. Such an approach can only relegate the disabled rights back to their original place as charity. On the other hand, when CBR projects are operated holistically, in the context of social movements existing within power relation and with a broader democratic agenda engaging different groups-including a disability movement-as is currently taking place in Palestine, CBR projects can also turn into a mobilizing force for the social rights of all excluded groups. Thus the question is not merely one of governmental involvement as opposed to the

  6. Assistance System for Disabled People: A Robot Controlled by Blinking and Wireless Link

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Val, Lara; Jiménez, María I.; Alonso, Alonso; de La Rosa, Ramón; Izquierdo, Alberto; Carrera, Albano

    Disabled people already profit from a lot of technical assistance that improves their quality of life. This article presents a system which will allow interaction between a physically disabled person and his environment. This system is controlled by voluntary muscular movements, particularly those of face muscles. These movements will be translated into machine-understandable instructions, and they will be sent by means of a wireless link to a mobile robot that will execute them. Robot includes a video camera, in order to show the user the environment of the route that the robot follows. This system gives a greater personal autonomy to people with reduced mobility.

  7. Exploring the Self-concept of Adults with Mild Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pestana, Claudio

    2015-01-01

    This qualitative study aimed to add to the research on the self-concept of adults with mild learning disabilities and to generate a deeper understanding of their self-perceptions rather than draw generalised quantitative conclusions. Eight adults diagnosed with mild learning disabilities receiving support from a supported living project were…

  8. The complexity of rural contexts experienced by community disability workers in three southern African countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret Booyens

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available An understanding of rural communities is fundamental to effective community-based rehabilitation work with persons with disabilities. By removing barriers to community participation, persons with disabilities are enabled to satisfy their fundamental human needs. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the challenges that rural community disability workers (CDWs face in trying to realise these objectives. This qualitative interpretive study, involving in-depth interviews with 16 community disability workers in Botswana, Malawi and South Africa, revealed the complex ways in which poverty, inappropriately used power and negative attitudes of service providers and communities combine to create formidable barriers to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in families and rural communities. The paper highlights the importance of understanding and working with the concept of ‘disability’ from a social justice and development perspective. It stresses that by targeting attitudes, actions and relationships, community disability workers can bring about social change in the lives of persons with disabilities and the communities in which they live.

  9. Meeting needs for rehabilitation equipment and home adjustments among the disabled in their life environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Kołłątaj

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The elimination of functional barriers resulting from disability through the provision of adequate orthopaedic and rehabilitation equipment, and homes adjusted for disability is the precondition for an efficient and independent functioning, and high quality of life of the disabled. The objective of the study was recognition of the needs of the disabled declared by them, and the degree of satisfaction with these needs. Methods. The study covered 478 disabled from the Lublin Region. The research instrument was the ‘Questionnaire for the Disabled’ designed by the authors. Results. Considering the needs expressed by the respondents concerning the provision of orthopaedic and rehabilitation equipment and meeting these needs, four groups were distinguished: No Needs – 30.1%, Needs Partially Met – 22.4%, Needs Fully Met – 37.7%, Needs Not Met – 9.8%. The group Needs Not Met was characterized by younger age, in the group Needs Partially Met worse indicators of the state of health were noted, more frequent independent living, loneliness and low material standard. Considering the expressed needs for home adjustments adequate to disability and meeting these needs, three groups were distinguished: No Needs – 59.6%, Needs Not Met – 15.9%, and Needs Met – 24.7%. The group Needs Not Met more rarely covered respondents living in residential homes, compared to those living independently in rural or urban areas. The group Needs Met more rarely included rural inhabitants, while more frequently including the disabled who had a high material standard. Conclusions. Both the provision of orthopaedic equipment and adjustment of the home to disability are insufficient with respect to the needs. The meeting of these needs is significantly conditioned by high or very high material standard. The lack or incomplete satisfaction with the needs for rehabilitation equipment is associated with a relatively younger age, independent, single

  10. Representing and organizing information to describe the lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF): a discussion paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geyh, Szilvia; Schwegler, Urban; Peter, Claudio; Müller, Rachel

    2018-03-06

    To discuss the representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, using spinal cord injury as a case in point for disability. The scientific literature was reviewed, discussion rounds conducted, and qualitative secondary analyses of data carried out using an iterative inductive-deductive approach. Conceptual considerations are explicated that distinguish the personal factors perspective from other components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A representation structure is developed that organizes health-related concepts describing the internal context of functioning. Concepts are organized as individual facts, subjective experiences, and recurrent patterns of experience and behavior specifying 7 areas and 211 concept groups. The article calls for further scientific debate on the perspective of personal factors in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. A structure that organizes concepts in relation to a personal factors perspective can enhance the comprehensiveness, transparency and standardization of health information, and contribute to the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Implications for rehabilitation The present study collected data from scientific literature reviews, discussion rounds and qualitative secondary analyses in order to develop a representation and organization of information describing persons' lived experience of health from a personal factors perspective in the light of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The following representation structure for health-related information from a personal factors perspective was developed: (i) Individuals facts (i.e., socio-demographical factors, position in the immediate social and physical context, personal history

  11. Raising end of life care issues for patients with learning disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sander, Ruth

    2012-11-30

    This qualitative study explored the views of three learning disability nurses, and three district nurses, caring for people with learning disabilities at the end of their lives. Although they saw some good practice, the nurses identified several difficulties associated with end of life care.

  12. Investigating the factors that affect the communication of death-related bad news to people with intellectual disabilities by staff in residential and supported living services: An interview study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuffrey-Wijne, I; Rose, T

    2017-08-01

    Most staff working in intellectual disability services will be confronted with people with intellectual disabilities who need support around death, dying and bereavement. Previous studies suggest that intellectual disability staff tend to protect clients from knowing about death and avoid communication about death. The aims of this study were to gain further insight into the individual, organisational and contextual factors that affect the communication of death-related bad news to people with intellectual disabilities by intellectual disability staff and to develop guidelines for services to enable appropriate communication with clients about death and dying. Semi-structured interviews were held with 20 social care staff working in intellectual disability residential or supported living services in London, who had supported a client affected by death-related bad news in the past 6 months. Staff found supporting people with intellectual disabilities around death and dying extremely difficult and tended to avoid communication about death. The following factors had a particularly strong influence on staff practice around communicating death-related bad news: fear and distress around death; life and work experience; and organisational culture. Staff attitudes to death communication had a stronger influence than their client's level of cognitive or communicative abilities. Managers were important role models. Service managers should ensure not only that all their staff receive training in death, loss and communication but also that staff are enabled to reflect on their practice, through emotional support, supervision and team discussions. Future work should focus on the development and testing of strategies to enable intellectual disability staff to support their clients in the areas of dying, death and bereavement. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Pressing Issues of Disability Employment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shabunova Aleksandra Anatol’evna

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Disability employment is a major tool for creating inclusive society. In Russia, the main obstacles to employment of the disabled are imperfect statutory measures aimed at improving competitiveness of this population group in the labor market; low prestige of jobs for people with disabilities; the employers’ unwillingness to hire disabled people. The purpose of this study is to determine the barriers disabled people face on the labor market and to justify the expedience of investing public funds in activities aimed at promoting disabled employment. Works of Russian and foreign authors, national statistics, results of sociological surveys of the population and people with disabilities conducted on the territory of the Vologda Oblast in 2013–2015 represent the information base of the study. The article reviews the impact of employment quotas for the disabled; in particular, it has been established that the number of the employed under such quotas during the period from 2008 to 2014 has declined. Based on the results of domestic research the authors have determined the reasons underlying lack of effectiveness of this social policy tool. One of the problems of promoting disability employment is training and re-training of the disabled. According to official statistics, only 38% of the employed disabled who live in a city are employed in the area of their specialty. At the same time, the results of research h of Russian authors show that training of an expert (even with consideration of their health capacities pays off within 4 years. Using the example of the Vologda Oblast, the authors show that annual tax revenues in employment of the disabled to jobs with wages close to the regional average may reach 33 million rubles. They also estimate the approximate regional cost of workplace equipment for the disabled. Finally, the authors propose a list of key courses of action on increasing competitiveness of the disabled in the labor market

  14. Effect of Pain and Mild Cognitive Impairment on Mobility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schepker, Caroline A; Leveille, Suzanne G; Pedersen, Mette M; Ward, Rachel E; Kurlinski, Laura A; Grande, Laura; Kiely, Dan K; Bean, Jonathan F

    2016-01-01

    To examine the effect of pain and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)-together and separately-on performance-based and self-reported mobility outcomes in older adults in primary care with mild to moderate self-reported mobility limitations. Cross-sectional analysis. Academic community outpatient clinic. Individuals aged 65 and older in primary care enrolled in the Boston Rehabilitative Impairment Study in the Elderly who were at risk of mobility decline (N=430). Participants with an average score greater than three on the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) were defined as having pain. MCI was defined using age-adjusted scores on a neuropsychological battery. Multivariable linear regression models assessed associations between pain and MCI, together and separately, and mobility performance (habitual gait speed, Short Physical Performance Battery), and self-reports of function and disability in various day-to-day activities (Late Life Function and Disability Instrument). The prevalence of pain was 34% and of MCI was 42%; 17% had pain only, 25% had MCI only, 17% had pain and MCI, and 41% had neither. Participants with pain and MCI performed significantly worse than all others on all mobility outcomes (Pmobility outcomes than those with neither (Pmobility, and the presence of both comorbidities was associated with the poorest status. Primary care practitioners who encounter older adults in need of mobility rehabilitation should consider screening them for pain and MCI to better inform subsequent therapeutic interventions. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

  15. A Search for Meaning: Telling Your Life with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horn, Jaime Helena; Moss, Duncan

    2015-01-01

    Research has identified the collective experiences of oppression, stigma and isolation in the lives of people with learning disabilities. Against the backdrop of social and cultural processes that shape and limit the life experiences of people with learning disabilities, the authors are interested in how the individual develops a sense of self and…

  16. "We're Not Going to Suffer Like This in the Mud": Educational Aspirations, Social Mobility and Independent Child Migration among Populations Living in Poverty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyden, Jo

    2013-01-01

    This article examines the association between formal education, social mobility and independent child migration in Ethiopia, India (Andhra Pradesh), Peru and Vietnam and draws on data from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty and schooling. It argues that among resource-poor populations, child migration sustains kin relations…

  17. Caring for the Disabled Employee

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mik-Meyer, Nanna

    lives of disabled people (Barnes & Mercer 2005, Paterson & Hughes 2010). A recurrent theme in this study’s transcribed and coded interviews was not an awareness of bullying and harassment, as other studies have found (e.g., Fevre et al. 2013), but rather how managers and employees without impairments...

  18. Effects of a predefined mini-trampoline training programme on balance, mobility and activities of daily living after stroke: a randomized controlled pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miklitsch, Claudia; Krewer, Carmen; Freivogel, Susanna; Steube, Diethard

    2013-10-01

    To investigate the effects of a predefined mini-trampoline therapy programme for increasing postural control, mobility and the ability to perform activities of daily living after stroke. Randomized non-blinded controlled pilot study. Neurological rehabilitation hospital. First-time stroke; age 18-80 years; independent standing ability for a minimum of 2 minutes. Patients were randomized into two groups: the mini-trampoline group (n = 20) received 10 sessions of balance training using the mini-trampoline over three weeks. The patients of the control group (n =20) participated 10 times in a group balance training also over three weeks. Postural control (Berg Balance Scale, BBS), mobility and gait endurance (timed 'up and go' test, TUG; 6-minute walk test, 6MWT) and the ability to perform activities of daily living (Barthel Index, BI). Measurements were undertaken prior to and after the intervention period. Both groups were comparable before the study. The mini-trampoline group improved significantly more in the BBS (P = 0.003) compared to the control group. Mean or median differences of both groups showed improvements in the TUG 10.12 seconds/7.23 seconds, the 6MWT 135 m/75 m and the BI 20 points/13 points for the mini-trampoline and control group, respectively. These outcome measurements did not differ significantly between the two groups. A predefined mini-trampoline training programme resulted in significantly increased postural control in stroke patients compared to balance training in a group. Although not statistically significant, the mini-trampoline training group showed increased improvement in mobility and activities of daily living. These differences could have been statistically significant if we had investigated more patients (i.e. a total sample of 84 patients for the TUG, 98 patients for the 6MWT, and 186 patients for the BI).

  19. Prospective association of the SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype with adverse health outcomes: evidence from 60+ community-dwelling Europeans living in 11 countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macklai, Nejma S; Spagnoli, Jacques; Junod, Julien; Santos-Eggimann, Brigitte

    2013-01-03

    Among the many definitions of frailty, the frailty phenotype defined by Fried et al. is one of few constructs that has been repeatedly validated: first in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and subsequently in other large cohorts in the North America. In Europe, the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) is a gold mine of individual, economic and health information that can provide insight into better understanding of frailty across diverse population settings. A recent adaptation of the original five CHS-frailty criteria was proposed to make use of SHARE data and measure frailty in the European population. To test the validity of the SHARE operationalized frailty phenotype, this study aims to evaluate its prospective association with adverse health outcomes. Data are from 11,015 community-dwelling men and women aged 60+ participating in wave 1 and 2 of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe, a population-based survey. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the 2-year follow up effect of SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype on the incidence of disability (disability-free at baseline) and on worsening disability and morbidity, adjusting for age, sex, income and baseline morbidity and disability. At 2-year follow up, frail individuals were at increased risk for: developing mobility (OR 3.07, 95% CI, 1.02-9.36), IADL (OR 5.52, 95% CI, 3.76-8.10) and BADL (OR 5.13, 95% CI, 3.53-7.44) disability; worsening mobility (OR 2.94, 95% CI, 2.19- 3.93) IADL (OR 4.43, 95% CI, 3.19-6.15) and BADL disability (OR 4.53, 95% CI, 3.14-6.54); and worsening morbidity (OR 1.77, 95% CI, 1.35-2.32). These associations were significant even among the prefrail, but with a lower magnitude of effect. The SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype is significantly associated with all tested health outcomes independent of baseline morbidity and disability in community-dwelling men and women aged 60 and older living in Europe. The

  20. Prospective association of the SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype with adverse health outcomes: evidence from 60+ community-dwelling Europeans living in 11 countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Macklai Nejma S

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Among the many definitions of frailty, the frailty phenotype defined by Fried et al. is one of few constructs that has been repeatedly validated: first in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS and subsequently in other large cohorts in the North America. In Europe, the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE is a gold mine of individual, economic and health information that can provide insight into better understanding of frailty across diverse population settings. A recent adaptation of the original five CHS-frailty criteria was proposed to make use of SHARE data and measure frailty in the European population. To test the validity of the SHARE operationalized frailty phenotype, this study aims to evaluate its prospective association with adverse health outcomes. Methods Data are from 11,015 community-dwelling men and women aged 60+ participating in wave 1 and 2 of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe, a population-based survey. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the 2-year follow up effect of SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype on the incidence of disability (disability-free at baseline and on worsening disability and morbidity, adjusting for age, sex, income and baseline morbidity and disability. Results At 2-year follow up, frail individuals were at increased risk for: developing mobility (OR 3.07, 95% CI, 1.02-9.36, IADL (OR 5.52, 95% CI, 3.76-8.10 and BADL (OR 5.13, 95% CI, 3.53-7.44 disability; worsening mobility (OR 2.94, 95% CI, 2.19- 3.93 IADL (OR 4.43, 95% CI, 3.19-6.15 and BADL disability (OR 4.53, 95% CI, 3.14-6.54; and worsening morbidity (OR 1.77, 95% CI, 1.35-2.32. These associations were significant even among the prefrail, but with a lower magnitude of effect. Conclusions The SHARE-operationalized frailty phenotype is significantly associated with all tested health outcomes independent of baseline morbidity and disability in community-dwelling men

  1. Love in a Cold Climate: Changes in the Fortunes of LGBT Men and Women with Learning Disabilities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbott, David

    2015-01-01

    "Secret Loves, Hidden Lives?" was a piece of research which explored the lives and loves of gay, lesbian and bisexual people with learning disabilities. The research arguably influenced the development of policy in that same sex relationships were subsequently mentioned in English government policy on learning disability. The research…

  2. 76 FR 45163 - Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-07-28

    ... day, people living with disabilities make immeasurable contributions to the diversity and vitality of... agencies. Through the ADA, America was the first country in the world to comprehensively declare equality... Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At its core, this Convention promotes equality. It...

  3. Voyaging on the Seas of Spirit: An Ongoing Journey towards Understanding Disability and Humanity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stienstra, Deborah; Ashcroft, Terri

    2010-01-01

    In an important article in "Disability & Society" Hughes argued that ontology is becoming a "live issue" in disability studies. Different sources, including non-western and aboriginal conceptions of disability and cosmology and the literature on philosophy, religion, palliative and healthcare, suggest that we are missing a critical aspect of…

  4. The relationship between raising a child with a disability and the mental health of mothers compared to raising a child without disability in japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yui Yamaoka

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Previous studies conducted in Japan targeted only mothers who cared for children with disabilities, and lacked reference subjects, such as mothers of children without disabilities. The aim of this study was to examine the association between raising one or two children with a disability and maternal psychological distress compared to mothers of children without a disability, and to assess differences among partnered mothers living with grandparent(s, partnered mothers without grandparent(s, and single mothers. Methods: This study utilized data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions (CSLC in 2010. We merged the data of the children (aged six and over, mothers, and fathers. This study obtained 33,739 study subjects as a triad of a child (33,110 children without disabilities and 629 children with disabilities, mother, and father. The Japanese version of Kessler 6 (K6 was used to assess the psychological distress of mothers. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the independent association of a child with a disability on maternal psychological distress after controlling for the basic characteristics of the children, mothers, and households. Results: This study reported that raising one or two children with disabilities was significantly related to maternal psychological distress (odds ratio: 1.72 for one child, 2.85 for two children compared to mothers of children without disability. After stratifying the analyses by family structure, significant associations remained among mothers in two-parent families but not for mothers in three-generation families and single mothers due to a small number of children with disabilities in these families. Conclusions: This study reported the significant association between raising a child with a disability and maternal psychological distress in comparison to mothers of children without disabilities. Attention should be paid to not only single mothers, but also partnered

  5. The Paralympic Movement: using sports to promote health, disability rights, and social integration for athletes with disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blauwet, Cheri; Willick, Stuart E

    2012-11-01

    Competitive sports for people with disabilities has grown rapidly over the past several decades, and opportunities for participation are increasingly available throughout the spectrum from developmental to elite. The Paralympic Games, seen as the pinnacle sporting event that represents the broader Paralympic Movement, has provided a platform to showcase the abilities of people with disabilities while also serving as a catalyst for disability rights through ensuring integration, equality of opportunity, and accessibility of the built environment. Concurrently, media coverage of the Paralympic Games has led to an increased awareness of opportunities for sport participation for individuals with disabilities and, with it, the adjustment of norms regarding expectations for exercise as a component of preventive health. In addition, there is evidence of the power of sports to stimulate confidence, self-efficacy, and a self-perceived high quality of life for individuals with disabilities above and beyond the basic benefits to cardiometabolic fitness. When taken together, the promotion of health, disability rights, and social integration through sports has the power to transform the lives of those who participate and to further stimulate the expansion of opportunities available to the next generation of athletes with disabilities. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Preoperative Pain Neuroscience Education Combined With Knee Joint Mobilization for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lluch, Enrique; Dueñas, Lirios; Falla, Deborah; Baert, Isabel; Meeus, Mira; Sánchez-Frutos, José; Nijs, Jo

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to first compare the effects of a preoperative treatment combining pain neuroscience education (PNE) with knee joint mobilization versus biomedical education with knee joint mobilization on central sensitization (CS) in patients with knee osteoarthritis, both before and after surgery. Second, we wanted to compare the effects of both interventions on knee pain, disability, and psychosocial variables. Forty-four patients with knee osteoarthritis were allocated to receive 4 sessions of either PNE combined with knee joint mobilization or biomedical education with knee joint mobilization before surgery. All participants completed self-administered questionnaires and quantitative sensory testing was performed at baseline, after treatment and at a 1 month follow-up (all before surgery), and at 3 months after surgery. Significant and clinically relevant differences before and after surgery were found after treatments for both knee pain and disability, and some measures of CS (ie, widespread hyperalgesia, CS inventory), with no significant between-group differences. Other indicators of CS (ie, conditioned pain modulation, temporal summation) did not change over time following either treatment, and in some occasions the observed changes were not in the expected direction. Patients receiving PNE with knee joint mobilization achieved greater improvements in psychosocial variables (pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia) both before and after surgery. Preoperative PNE combined with knee joint mobilization did not produce any additional benefits over time for knee pain and disability, and CS measures compared with biomedical education with knee joint mobilization. Superior effects in the PNE with knee joint mobilization group were only observed for psychosocial variables related to pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia.

  7. Best Practices in Intellectual Disability Identification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiorello, Catherine A.; Jenkins, Tiffany K.

    2018-01-01

    This article is an overview of identification of intellectual disabilities (ID), with a focus on meeting legal and ethical requirements when assessing children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those living in poverty. Specific procedures and recommended instruments will be reviewed.

  8. The Trouble with Disability in Shakespeare Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey R. Wilson

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews some instances of disability in Shakespeare's works and some instances of Disability Studies in Shakespeare studies. Contrary to the claims of the Disabled Shakespeares project, there is no historical basis for the modern language of "disability" in Shakespeare's texts, as illustrated with a philology of the term; this does not, however, invalidate the viable uses of disability theory in Shakespeare studies. Developing a typology of these uses (historical, methodological, critical, theoretical, this article discusses the opportunities and liabilities of each approach but concludes that a better vocabulary can be found in Erving Goffman's theory of stigma (which inspired Disability Studies but, in many ways, is more conceptually and ethically buoyant. The main goal in this article is not to argue against a Disability Studies approach to Shakespeare but, instead, to use those readings as evidence of the imperfect even if well-intentioned ways we respond to the encounter with stigma in Shakespeare's works – a phenomenon of literary criticism that is remarkably resonant with the similarly imperfect even if well-intentioned ways we respond to the encounter with stigma in our everyday lives.

  9. 20 CFR 404.273 - When are automatic cost-of-living increases effective?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When are automatic cost-of-living increases..., SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing Primary Insurance Amounts Cost-Of-Living Increases § 404.273 When are automatic cost-of-living increases effective? We make automatic cost-of-living...

  10. Using Photovoice to Include People with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities in Inclusive Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cluley, Victoria

    2017-01-01

    Background: It is now expected that projects addressing the lives of people with learning disabilities include people with learning disabilities in the research process. In the past, such research often excluded people with learning disabilities, favouring the opinions of family members, carers and professionals. The inclusion of the voices of…

  11. The reality of homeless mobility and implications for improving care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, R David; Dykema, Shana

    2013-08-01

    Homeless persons are perceived as a highly mobile population, and have high rates of co-morbid conditions, including mental health and substance use issues. This study sought to determine the characteristics of the mobility and reported health conditions of homeless persons. The sample for this cross sectional study (n = 674) accounted for 88 % of the homeless population in a medium sized southern city in the United States. Participants were recruited from a homeless shelter operating during the winter season. Homeless persons were less mobile than the general state population (46.11 % were born in-state vs. 40.7 % of the general population) and less transient than the general state population (78 % reported an in-state zip code for the last permanent residence). 31.9 % reported a disabling condition of a serious and long term nature. These findings challenge the concept that homeless persons are primarily a mobile population. Furthermore, homeless persons in this sample were more likely to remain in the state where they lived after becoming homeless. Thus, provider perceptions that homeless persons would not benefit from referral to a regular source of outpatient care may be misinformed. As homeless persons often seek care in emergency departments for conditions that could be addressed through outpatient care, if a medical care system implemented standard practices specifically for homeless patients, this could decrease recidivism. Such interventions represent significant opportunities to reduce costs, conserve resources, and improve care through policy modification that ensures a focus on a successful, active linkage to outpatient care and programs specific to the homeless population.

  12. 20 CFR 404.271 - When automatic cost-of-living increases apply.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When automatic cost-of-living increases apply... AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950- ) Computing Primary Insurance Amounts Cost-Of-Living Increases § 404.271 When automatic cost-of-living increases apply. Besides increases in the primary insurance amounts...

  13. [The burden of disability in Cameroon].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foti, Calogero; Albensi, Caterina; Giordani, Laura; Azeufack Ngueko, Yannick; Sanou Sobze, Martin; Colizzi, Vittorio

    2017-01-01

    Rehabilitation services for disabled persons are lacking in countries with limited economic resources. Reliable and objective data are needed to plan for their implementation and to determine the burden of disability in these countries. A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in June 2013 among people living in Dschang Health District, in the West region of Cameroon, to collect information about socio-demographic aspects of physically disabled subjects and health determinants of disabilities. Data was collected using a standard questionnaire in French. In total, 159 physically disabled subjects were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 36 years [± SD 17.26], 55.9% of subjects were female, and 33.8% had a low educational-level. The most frequently reported disabilities were orthopaedic problems (mainly fractures) [45.8%], infectious diseases [29.1%]), and neurological disabilities (mainly hemiplegia [33.3%], hemiparesis [23.8%], and monoplegia [23.8%]). The main causes of disability were trauma due to traffic accidents (17.8%) and inappropriate medical interventions (14.5%). Disability was related to age and 50% of participants experienced social discrimination. Disabled subjects with low-incomes (from 50.000 to 200.000 XAF) were required to pay for rehabilitative care (XAF 10.000 to 100.000), and up to 83% had appealed for improved quality of Rehabilitation Medicine. Although Law n. 83/013 for the protection of persons with disabilities in Cameroon dates back to 1983, the results of this study show that disabled people, and children in particular, are still marginalized, vulnerable and have little chance of recovery. Therefore, there is a clear need to improve the quality and availability of rehabilitative care services , with programmatic interventions that ensure implementation of existing laws, improve access to rehabilitative services, provide disabled persons with the necessary specialty medical products, and eliminate barriers to their social

  14. An integrative conceptual framework of disability. New directions for research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tate, Denise G; Pledger, Constance

    2003-04-01

    Advances in research on disability and rehabilitation are essential to creating equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, and full participation for persons with disabilities. Historically, such initiatives have focused on separate and specific areas, including neuroscience, molecular biology and genetics, gerontology, engineering and physical sciences, and social and behavioral sciences. Research on persons with disabilities should examine the broader context and trends of society that affect the total environment of persons with disabilities. This article examines the various disability paradigms across time, assessing the relative contribution of the socioecological perspective in guiding research designed to improve the lives of persons with disabilities. The authors recommend new research directions that include a focus on life span issues, biomedicine, biotechnology, the efficacy and effectiveness of current interventions, an emphasis on consumer-driven investigations within a socioecological perspective of disability, and the implications for research and practice.

  15. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... assistance and related activities to maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities of all ages; promoting the transfer of, use ...

  16. Disabled People Are Sexual Citizens Too”: Supporting Sexual Identity, Well-being, and Safety for Disabled Young People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonali Shah

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Disabled young people are sexual beings, and deserve equal rights and opportunities to have control over, choices about, and access to their sexuality, sexual expression, and fulfilling relationships throughout their lives. This is critical to their overall physical, emotional, and social health and well-being. However, societal misconceptions of disabled bodies being non-normative, other, or deviant has somewhat shaped how the sexuality of disabled people has been constructed as problematic under the public gaze. The pervasive belief that disabled people are asexual creates barriers to sexual citizenship for disabled young people, thereby causing them to have lower levels of sexual knowledge and inadequate sex education compared to their non-disabled peers. As a consequence, they are more vulnerable to “bad sex”—relationships, which are considered to be exploitative and disempowering in different ways. Access to good sex and relationships education for disabled young people is, therefore, not only important for them to learn about sexual rights, sexual identity, and sexual expression but also about how to ensure their sexual safety. In so doing, it will contribute to the empowerment and societal recognition of disabled people as sexual beings, and also help them resist and report sexual violence. Therefore, it is critical that parents, educationalists, and health and social care professionals are aware and appropriately equipped with knowledge and resources to formally educate disabled young people about sexuality and well-being on par to their non-disabled peers.

  17. In media res: commenting on the trajectory of lives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishop, Jeffery; Barina, Rachelle; Stahl, Devan

    2013-01-01

    The stories in this issue of Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics demonstrate two important things. First these stories explore the space between bodily impairment and the social structures that both enable and constrain the flourishing of those who are differently embodied. The authors of these narratives resist the dominant biomedical interpretation of their impairments, but also demonstrate their dependency upon others--social, medical, or familial others. Second, in writing these narratives, the authors are also engaged in an act of identity formation, which sometimes challenge and sometimes embrace the label of disability. By telling their stories in the middle of the action of their lives--in media res, taking up or resisting the label of disability-they also demonstrate the way in which lives can be lived open to new possibilities and interpretations.

  18. Experimental protocol of a randomized controlled clinical trial investigating exercise, subclinical atherosclerosis, and walking mobility in persons with multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffith, Garett; Klaren, Rachel E; Motl, Robert W; Baynard, Tracy; Fernhall, Bo

    2015-03-01

    This randomized controlled trial (RCT) will investigate the effects of a home-based aerobic exercise training regimen (i.e., cycle ergometry) on subclinical atherosclerosis and walking mobility in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and minimal disability. This RCT will recruit 54 men and women who have an Expanded Disability Status Scale characteristic of the 1st stage of MS (i.e., 0-4.0) to participate in a 3 month exercise or stretching intervention, with assessments of subclinical atherosclerosis and walking mobility conducted at baseline, week 6 (midpoint), and week 12 (conclusion) of the program. The exercise intervention will consist of 3 days/week of cycling, with a gradual increase of duration followed by an increase in intensity across the 3 month period. The attention-control condition will incorporate stretching activities and will require the same contact time commitment as the exercise condition. Both study groups will participate in weekly video chat sessions with study personnel in order to monitor and track program adherence. Primary outcomes will consist of assessments of vascular structure and function, as well as several walking tasks. Additional outcomes will include questionnaires, cardiorespiratory fitness assessment, and a 1-week free-living physical activity assessment. This investigation will increase understanding of the role of aerobic exercise as part of a treatment plan for managing subclinical atherosclerosis and improving walking mobility persons in the 1st stage of MS. Overall, this study design has the potential to lead to effective aerobic exercise intervention strategies for this population and improve program adherence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Gender Roles and Physical Function in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Analysis of the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Tamer; Vafaei, Afshin; Auais, Mohammad; Guralnik, Jack; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria

    2016-01-01

    To examine the relationships between physical function and gender-stereotyped traits and whether these relationships are modified by sex or social context. A total of 1995 community-dwelling older adults from the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) aged 65 to 74 years were recruited in Natal (Brazil), Manizales (Colombia), Tirana (Albania), Kingston (Ontario, Canada), and Saint-Hyacinthe (Quebec, Canada). We performed a cross-sectional analysis. Study outcomes were mobility disability, defined as having difficulty in walking 400 meters without assistance or climbing a flight of stairs without resting, and low physical performance, defined as a score Masculine, Feminine, Androgynous, and Undifferentiated) using site-specific medians of femininity and masculinity as cut-off points. Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence rate ratios (PRR) of mobility disability and poor physical performance according to gender roles. In models adjusted for sex, marital status, education, income, and research site, when comparing to the androgynous role, we found higher prevalence of mobility disability and poor physical performance among participants endorsing the feminine role (PRR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.39 and PRR = 1.37, CI 1.01-1.88, respectively) or the undifferentiated role (PRR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.07-1.42 and PRR = 1.58, CI 1.18-2.12, respectively). Participants classified as masculine did not differ from androgynous participants in prevalence rates of mobility disability or low physical performance. None of the multiplicative interactions by sex and research site were significant. Feminine and undifferentiated gender roles are independent risk factors for mobility disability and low physical performance in older adults. Longitudinal research is needed to assess the mediation pathways through which gender-stereotyped traits influence functional limitations and to investigate the longitudinal nature of these relationships.

  20. The years lived with disability due to road traffic accidents based on the nature of injuries in Kermanshah province (2010

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neda Izadi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Traffic accidents, with lots of casualties and injuries, cause a lot of economic loss. This study was conducted to determine the Years Lived with Disability (YLD due to road traffic accidents according to the nature of injuries in Kermanshah province. Methods: following a pilot study, a sample of 3258 people was analyzed in order to calculate the YLD. Then, based on various factors, the age, gender and nature of injury of 10070 people were estimated. The YLD was calculated using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD (2010. The data concerning age and gender of the total population of the province was taken from the Statistical Center of Iran. All calculations were performed based on age and gender in Excel software. Results: The mean age of the injured people was 32.7±17.1. Men constituted 67.7 % of patients. The incidence rate of traffic accidents was 283.6 per 100,000. The highest levels of YLD in outpatients, men and women were reported for patella, tibia, fibula and ankle fractures and fractures of clavicle, scapula, humerus and skull, respectively. The highest rate of inpatient YLDs by nature of injury belonged to the fractures of sternum, ribs and face bone. The years lived with disability was calculated to be 2365.96 years (2.46 per 1000 and 1039.01 years (1.1 per 1000 for men and women, respectively. It was 3404.97 years (1.79 per 1000 in both genders. The highest YLD was in the age group of 15–29. Conclusion: Traffic accidents are high rate of YLD is resulted by traffic accidents. The most affected age group are youngsters and fracture are more frequent.

  1. Tobacco Cessation Intervention for People with Disabilities: Survey of Center for Independent Living Directors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moorhouse, Michael D.; Pomeranz, Jamie L.; Barnett, Tracey E.; Yu, Nami S.; Curbow, Barbara A.

    2011-01-01

    People with disabilities (PWD) are 50% more likely to smoke compared with the general population, yet interventions tailored to the needs of PWD remain limited. The authors surveyed directors from a leading disability service organization to assess their delivery of tobacco cessation interventions. Although tobacco cessation was identified as a…

  2. [Social determinants of health and disability: updating the model for determination].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamayo, Mauro; Besoaín, Álvaro; Rebolledo, Jaime

    Social determinants of health (SDH) are conditions in which people live. These conditions impact their lives, health status and social inclusion level. In line with the conceptual and comprehensive progression of disability, it is important to update SDH due to their broad implications in implementing health interventions in society. This proposal supports incorporating disability in the model as a structural determinant, as it would lead to the same social inclusion/exclusion of people described in other structural SDH. This proposal encourages giving importance to designing and implementing public policies to improve societal conditions and contribute to social equity. This will be an act of reparation, justice and fulfilment with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. A New Conflict Resolution Method for Multiple Mobile Robots in Cluttered Environments With Motion-Liveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahriari, Mohammadali; Biglarbegian, Mohammad

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents a new conflict resolution methodology for multiple mobile robots while ensuring their motion-liveness, especially for cluttered and dynamic environments. Our method constructs a mathematical formulation in a form of an optimization problem by minimizing the overall travel times of the robots subject to resolving all the conflicts in their motion. This optimization problem can be easily solved through coordinating only the robots' speeds. To overcome the computational cost in executing the algorithm for very cluttered environments, we develop an innovative method through clustering the environment into independent subproblems that can be solved using parallel programming techniques. We demonstrate the scalability of our approach through performing extensive simulations. Simulation results showed that our proposed method is capable of resolving the conflicts of 100 robots in less than 1.23 s in a cluttered environment that has 4357 intersections in the paths of the robots. We also developed an experimental testbed and demonstrated that our approach can be implemented in real time. We finally compared our approach with other existing methods in the literature both quantitatively and qualitatively. This comparison shows while our approach is mathematically sound, it is more computationally efficient, scalable for very large number of robots, and guarantees the live and smooth motion of robots.

  4. Disability, social functioning and school inclusion among older children and adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rukuni, Ruramayi; McHugh, Grace; Majonga, Edith; Kranzer, Katharina; Mujuru, Hilda; Munyati, Shungu; Nathoo, Kusum; Gregson, Celia L; Kuper, Hannah; Ferrand, Rashida A

    2018-02-01

    Increasing numbers of children with HIV are surviving to adolescence and encountering multiple clinical and social consequences of long-standing HIV infection. We aimed to investigate the association between HIV and disability, social functioning and school inclusion among 6- to 16-year-olds in Zimbabwe. HIV-infected children receiving antiretroviral therapy from a public-sector HIV clinic and HIV-uninfected children attending primary care clinics in the same catchment area were recruited. Standardised questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic, social functioning and disability data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between HIV status and disability and functioning. We recruited 202 HIV-infected and 285 HIV-uninfected children. There was no difference in age and gender between the two groups, but a higher proportion of HIV-infected children were orphaned. The prevalence of any disability was higher in HIV-infected than uninfected children (37.6% vs. 18.5%, P disability to those with HIV but no disabilities. Children with HIV commonly experience disabilities, and this is associated with social and educational exclusion. Rehabilitation and support services are needed to facilitate educational attainment and social participation in this group. © 2017 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Scalable and Cost-Effective Assignment of Mobile Crowdsensing Tasks Based on Profiling Trends and Prediction: The ParticipAct Living Lab Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellavista, Paolo; Corradi, Antonio; Foschini, Luca; Ianniello, Raffaele

    2015-07-30

    Nowadays, sensor-rich smartphones potentially enable the harvesting of huge amounts of valuable sensing data in urban environments, by opportunistically involving citizens to play the role of mobile virtual sensors to cover Smart City areas of interest. This paper proposes an in-depth study of the challenging technical issues related to the efficient assignment of Mobile Crowd Sensing (MCS) data collection tasks to volunteers in a crowdsensing campaign. In particular, the paper originally describes how to increase the effectiveness of the proposed sensing campaigns through the inclusion of several new facilities, including accurate participant selection algorithms able to profile and predict user mobility patterns, gaming techniques, and timely geo-notification. The reported results show the feasibility of exploiting profiling trends/prediction techniques from volunteers' behavior; moreover, they quantitatively compare different MCS task assignment strategies based on large-scale and real MCS data campaigns run in the ParticipAct living lab, an ongoing MCS real-world experiment that involved more than 170 students of the University of Bologna for more than one year.

  6. Scalable and Cost-Effective Assignment of Mobile Crowdsensing Tasks Based on Profiling Trends and Prediction: The ParticipAct Living Lab Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Bellavista

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, sensor-rich smartphones potentially enable the harvesting of huge amounts of valuable sensing data in urban environments, by opportunistically involving citizens to play the role of mobile virtual sensors to cover Smart City areas of interest. This paper proposes an in-depth study of the challenging technical issues related to the efficient assignment of Mobile Crowd Sensing (MCS data collection tasks to volunteers in a crowdsensing campaign. In particular, the paper originally describes how to increase the effectiveness of the proposed sensing campaigns through the inclusion of several new facilities, including accurate participant selection algorithms able to profile and predict user mobility patterns, gaming techniques, and timely geo-notification. The reported results show the feasibility of exploiting profiling trends/prediction techniques from volunteers’ behavior; moreover, they quantitatively compare different MCS task assignment strategies based on large-scale and real MCS data campaigns run in the ParticipAct living lab, an ongoing MCS real-world experiment that involved more than 170 students of the University of Bologna for more than one year.

  7. Exploring Mobility Options for Children with Physical Disabilities: A Focus on Powered Mobility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiart, Lesley

    2011-01-01

    The study by Tefft et al. (2011, in this issue) is one of the few studies that have explored the impact of pediatric powered mobility on families. The parents who participated in their study reported increased satisfaction with their children's social and play skills, ability to move independently, sleeping patterns, and public perception of their…

  8. The National and Regional Prevalence Rates of Disability, Type, of Disability and Severity in Saudi Arabia-Analysis of 2016 Demographic Survey Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bindawas, Saad M; Vennu, Vishal

    2018-02-28

    The prevalence of disability varies between countries ranging from less than 1% to up to 30% in some countries, thus, the estimated global disability prevalence is about 15%. However, it is unknown what the current estimate of disability and its types and severity are in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the objective of this study is to estimate national and regional prevalence rates of any disability, types of disability, and their severity among Saudi populations. Data on disability status were extracted from the national demographic survey conducted in 2016 as reported by the General Authority for Statistics, Saudi Arabia (N = 20,064,970). Prevalence rates per a population of 100,000 of any disability, type of disability, and its severity were calculated at the national level and in all 13 regions. Out of 20,064,970 Saudi citizens surveyed, 667,280 citizens reported disabilities, accounting for a prevalence rate of 3326 per a population of 100,000 (3.3%). Individuals aged 60 years and above (11,014) and males (3818) had a higher prevalence rate of disability compared with females (2813). The Tabuk region has the highest rate of reported disability, at 4.3%. The prevalence rates of extreme disabilities in mobility and sight were higher in Madinah (57,343) and Northern border (41,236) regions, respectively. In Saudi Arabia, more than half a million Saudi citizens (1 out of every 30 individuals) reported the presence of disability during the year 2016. A higher prevalence rate of disability was seen among those aged 60 years and above, and males. Targeted efforts are required at the national and regional levels to expand and improve rehabilitation and social services for all people with disabilities.

  9. Exploring career advancement challenges people with disabilities are facing in the South African work context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ingrid L. Potgieter

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: South Africa has faced a number of discriminatory practices in the past. Most of these practices are still present today. Although a considerate amount of attention has been given to discrimination based on gender, race and religion, limited emphasis has been placed on discrimination based on disability, specifically within the workplace. Research purpose: The objective of the study was to explore the perceptions of individuals living with a disability with regards to career advancement challenges they face in the South African workplace. Motivation for study: The research literature shows that irrespective of employment equity legislation, employees with disabilities have restricted opportunities to advance in their careers. Research is needed to assist these employees with their career development. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative research design with an exploratory approach was followed. Probability, purposeful and snowballing sampling techniques were applied in this study on 15 employed individuals with declared disabilities. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and the verbatim transcriptions were analysed by content analysis. Main findings/results: The findings indicated that people with disabilities generally experience career advancement challenges and reach career plateau. Managers and colleagues’ lack of knowledge about disability has an adverse impact on the careers of people living with a disability. The study found that human resource practices, especially promotion opportunities, discriminate against employees with disabilities. Furthermore, the study further indicated that there is prejudice against invisible disabilities, and as a result, employees are reluctant to declare their disability. Practical implications: Human resource practitioners and managers need to recognise the influence that disabilities have on the career advancement of individuals living with a

  10. Live event experiences - Interactive UHDTV on mobile devices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Niamut, O.A.; Thomas, G.A.; Thomas, E.D.R.; Brandenburg, R. van; D'Acunto, L.; Gregory-Clarke, R.

    2014-01-01

    This paper reports on the latest developments in tiled streaming. As an extension of HTTP adaptive streaming, it retains all the benefits of this streaming technology, while adding the potential of interaction when UHDTV is consumed on mobile devices. In particular, we discuss the underlying

  11. Effects of neural mobilization on pain, straight leg raise test and disability in patients with radicular low back pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haris Čolaković

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Radicular low back pain is a disorder involving the dysfunction of the lumbosacral nerve roots. Clinical rehabilitation approaches for low back pain include kinesiotherapy, and physical therapyprocedures: ice , rest , heat, ultrasound, TENS, but evidences regarding their effectiveness are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine if nerve mobilization brings better improvements in pain, SLR testand functional disability in patients with radicular low back pain compared to standard physical therapy.Methods: The study was conducted on a 60 patients with Radicular low back pain, treated in Regional medical center "Dr Safet Mujić", Mostar, during the period from 01.04.2010 untill 31.04.2011. Patientswere divided into two groups. First group (n=30 received a 4-week rehabilitation program including neural mobilization and lumbar stabilization program. Second group (n=30 received a 4-week rehabilitation program including active range of motion (ROM exercises and lumbar stabilization program.Results: At the beginning, the two groups were not signifi cantly different in terms of score or SLR. After therapy there was statistically signifi cant improvement between groups in both VAS scores[Group A: 1.16±1.5; Group B: 2.25±2.2] and SLR [Group A: 80.9±17.4; Group B: 65.9±16.4]. ]. After the treatment, in group A, 46.6% (14 participants had been rated with 4, but in Group B: 33.3% (10 participants had been rated with 3.Conclusions: Patients treated with neural mobilization and lumbar stabilization showed better VAS scores and Straight Leg Test scores compared to patients treated with active range of motion exercises and lumbar stabilization. Further research to investigate their long term effi cacy is warranted, with emphasis on greater number of participants.

  12. Performance evaluation of the Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance (PerMMA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hongwu; Xu, Jijie; Grindle, Garrett; Vazquez, Juan; Salatin, Ben; Kelleher, Annmarie; Ding, Dan; Collins, Diane M; Cooper, Rory A

    2013-11-01

    The Personal Mobility and Manipulation Appliance (PerMMA) is a recently developed personal assistance robot created to provide people with severe physical disabilities enhanced assistance in both mobility and manipulation. PerMMA aims to improve functional independence when a personal care attendant is not available on site. PerMMA integrates both a smart powered wheelchair and two dexterous robotic arms to assist its users in completing essential mobility and manipulation tasks during basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL). Two user interfaces were developed: a local control interface and a remote operator controller. This paper reports on the evaluation of PerMMA with end users completing basic ADL tasks. Participants with both lower and upper extremity impairments (N=15) were recruited to operate PerMMA and complete up to five ADL tasks in a single session of no more than two hours (to avoid fatigue or frustration of the participants). The performance of PerMMA was evaluated by participants completing ADL tasks with two different control modes: local mode and cooperative control. The users' task completion performance and answers on pre/post-evaluation questionnaires demonstrated not only the ease in learning and usefulness of PerMMA, but also their attitudes toward assistance from advanced technology like PerMMA. As a part of the iterative development process, results of this work will serve as supporting evidence to identify design criteria and other areas for improvement of PerMMA. Copyright © 2013 IPEM. All rights reserved.

  13. Differences in Itself: Redefining Disability through Dance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolien Hermans

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper brings together two different terms: dance and disability. This encounter between dance and disability might be seen as an unusual, even conflicting, one since dance is traditionally dominated by aesthetic virtuosity and perfect, idealized bodies which are under optimized bodily control. However, recently there has been a growing desire within dance communities and professional dance companies to challenge binary thinking (beautiful-ugly, perfect-imperfect, valid-invalid, success-failure by incorporating an aesthetic of difference. The traditional focus of dance on appearance (shape, technique, virtuosity is replaced by a focus on how movement is connected to a sense of self. This notion of the subjective body not only applies to the dancer's body but also to disabled bodies. Instead of thinking of a body as a thing, an object (Körper that is defined by its physical appearance, dance is more and more seduced by the body as we sense it, feel it and live it (Leib. This conceptual shift in dance is illustrated by a theoretical analysis of The Cost of Living, a dance film produced by DV8.

  14. [A comparison of opinions about disabled sports between students of University in Szczecin and disabled athletes ].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dywejko, Barbara; Rotter, Iwona; Kemicer-Chmielewska, Ewa; Karakiewicz, Beata

    2014-01-01

    . 2. Opinion on the importance of sport in the lives of disabled people differ between the research groups. Able-bodied people see the role of sport mainly as a rehabilitation tool; disabled people, however, see it as an activity giving satisfaction and raising their self-esteem.

  15. [Impact of fall risk and fear of falling on mobility of independently living senior citizens transitioning to frailty: screening results concerning fall prevention in the community].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anders, J; Dapp, U; Laub, S; von Renteln-Kruse, W

    2007-08-01

    There is a strong relation between mobility, walking safety and living independently in old age. People with walking problems suffer from fear of falling and tend to restrict their mobility and performance level in the community environment--even before falls occur. This study was planned to test the validity and prognostic value of a fall risk screening instrument ("Sturz-Risiko-Check") that has already shown its feasibility, acceptance and reliability, targeting independently living senior citizens. The study sample was recruited from a sheltered housing complex in Hamburg (with written consent). Persons with need of professional care ("Pflegestufe" in Germany) were excluded. The residents were asked to fill in the multidimensional questionnaire ("Sturz-Risiko- Check"). In a second step, a trained nurse asked the participants in a phone call about their competence in the instrumental activities of daily living (I-ADL mod. from Lawton, Brody 1969) and about their usual mobility performance level (e.g. frequency and distance of daily walks, use of public transport). According to the number and weight of self-reported risk factors for falling, three groups: "low fall risk", "medium fall risk" and "high fall risk" were classified. Finally, this classification was re-tested after one year, asking for falls and fall related injuries. A total of 112 senior citizens without need of personal care, living in a sheltered housing facility were asked to participate. Acceptance was high (76.1%). Self-reported data from 79 participants concerning falls, fall-risk, mobility and instrumental activities of daily living were included in the statistical analyses. Mean age was 78 (64 to 93) years and associated by a high percentage of women (75.9%) in this sample. The older participants reported 0 to 13 different factors (mean 5) related to a high risk of future falls. Most participants (78.5%) quit cycling because of fear of falling. There was a high incidence in the study sample

  16. Changing Academic Mobility Patterns and International Migration: What Will Academic Mobility Mean in the 21St Century?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, David M.

    2009-01-01

    Several scholars have underlined connections between academic mobility and international migration. This qualitative study explores a spectrum of academic mobility articulated by Teichler that empirically contributes to consideration of these connections. This analysis of e-mail excerpts from 20 migrant academics, living in seven countries,…

  17. Retreat and Resilience: Life Experiences of Older Women with Intellectual Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leroy, Barbara W.; Walsh, Patricia Noonan; Kulik, Noel; Rooney, Margaret

    2004-01-01

    Older women with intellectual disabilities remain the least studied and understood members of the disability population, and yet they often live well into late adulthood. In this exploratory study we used extensive interviews to examine the demographics, economic and personal safety nets, health, social roles, and well-being of 29 Irish and…

  18. Outcomes and Costs of Community Living: Semi-Independent Living and Fully Staffed Group Homes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Felce, David; Perry, Jonathan; Romeo, Renee; Robertson, Janet; Meek, Andrea; Emerson, Eric; Knapp, Martin

    2008-01-01

    In a matched-groups design, costs and quality of life outcomes for adults with intellectual disabilities with relatively low support needs were compared between those in fully staffed group homes (n = 35) and in semi-independent living (n = 35). Data were collected on participant characteristics, setting organization, various lifestyle outcomes,…

  19. Risk factors associated with domestic abuse directed at adults with disabilities in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyung Mee; Lee, Byung Hwa

    2016-07-01

    Most research on domestic abuse and disability has focused on women with disabilities, while research on abuse against men with disabilities and their risk factors is virtually non-existent. The purpose of this research is to understand domestic abuse experienced by people with disabilities by investigating its prevalence and risk factors. This research used the National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (2011). Using a stratified sampling method, 5259 respondents were identified to make up the final sample. Ordered logistic regression was used to verify risk factors for abuse. Risk factors for women with disabilities are age, educational attainment level, ADL, experiences of discrimination, awareness of disability discrimination, external support, and satisfaction with number of friends. Risk factors for men with disabilities are region, experiences of discrimination, awareness of disability discrimination, external support, and satisfaction with number of friends. For both women and men with disabilities, more experience of discrimination, greater awareness of disability discrimination, less external support, and less satisfaction with number of friends are associated with a higher likelihood of having experiences of abuse. Men with disabilities living in rural areas have a higher risk of abuse than those living in cities. Younger women, women with lower educational attainment, and those with lower physical functioning are more likely to have experienced abuse. Based on these findings, the authors make recommendations designed to protect people with disabilities from domestic abuse. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Accessible Collaborative Learning Using Mobile Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wald, Mike; Li, Yunjia; Draffan, E. A.

    2014-01-01

    This paper describes accessible collaborative learning using mobile devices with mobile enhancements to Synote, the freely available, award winning, open source, web based application that makes web hosted recordings easier to access, search, manage, and exploit for all learners, teachers and other users. Notes taken live during lectures using…

  1. Rehabilitation Nursing and the Accessibility of the Person With Disability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luís Ribeiro

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available An inclusive society leads all citizens to participate in community life, without any discrimination, but often citizens with reduced or conditioned mobility face barriers of a different nature. The condition of person with disability is arduous and unequal, even protected by legislation, but it is essential effectiveness in its application, which also involves the Rehabilitation Nurse. Objectives: Reflect on the rights of persons with disabilities and on the role of professionals in the overall rehabilitation action, particularly the rehabilitation nurses; Mobilize strategies for the promotion of accessibility. Methodology: Descriptive study using specific legislation, official websites and sources on rehabilitation, nursing and rehabilitation nursing. Results: The legislation is oriented towards the protection of the citizen with reduced or conditioned mobility. But barriers exist and changes are needed in people and society, and the professional has a relevant role in its implementation. Nurses in general and rehabilitation specialists in particular should advocate for the conditions necessary for the enjoyment of accessibility by developing specific strategies. Conclusions: Continuous monitoring is required for equal opportunities and accessibility, which involves the attitude of people, responsible entities and professionals. Rehabilitation nurses must assert themselves as an integral part of this mission.

  2. Access to mobile communications by older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Toan; Irizarry, Carol; Garrett, Rob; Downing, Andrew

    2015-06-01

    To investigate how older people effectively identify, select and learn to use mobile communications technologies to enhance communication and safety, and support independent living. One hundred and fifty-three older South Australians participated in a purpose-designed survey questionnaire. Older people relied on family and friends for information and advice (76%), and their children's assistance with buying (45%) and learning to use (48%) new technology. The most preferred learning method was face-to-face training (56%). Less than half (44%) were interested in trying out new designs/applications, functions and capabilities that could assist with independent living. The highest need was for personal security and emergencies (88%). Findings suggest that the family and friends of older people play an important role in identifying, selecting and learning to use mobile communication technologies. The safety and emergency capabilities of mobile communications technologies were more important than having functions that could assist with independent living. © 2014 ACOTA.

  3. Predicting supportive behavior of parents and siblings to a family member with intellectual disability living in institutional care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rimmerman, Arie; Chen, Ariel

    2012-01-01

    This feasibility study examines whether the theory of planned behavior can predict supportive behavior provided by either parents to their offspring--or adult siblings to their brothers and sisters--with an intellectual disability living in 2 Israeli institutional care facilities. Participants were 67 parents and 63 siblings who were interviewed at baseline regarding their intentions to visit their offspring or sibling in the institutional care facility, to contact the caregiving staff, and to accept visits at home. Parents' and siblings' behavior regarding visitation and supportive behavior was examined after 6 months by caregiving staff. Core findings indicated that subjective norms in siblings and parents predicted frequency of home visits. Perceived behavioral control predicted frequency of contact between siblings and staff. Differences between parents and siblings regarding their supportive behaviors are discussed with respect to social work practice.

  4. Study on mobility-disadvantage group' risk perception and coping behaviors of abrupt geological hazards in coastal rural area of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Anping

    2016-07-01

    China is a country highly vulnerable to abrupt geological hazards. The present study aims to investigate disaster preparedness and perception of abrupt geological disasters (such as rock avalanches, landslide, mud-rock flows etc) in mobility-disadvantage group living in coastal rural area of China. This research is to take into account all factors regarding disasters and to design the questionnaires accordingly. Two debris flow vulnerable townships are selected as study areas including Hedi Township in Qinyuan County and Xianxi Township in Yueqing City which are located in East China's Zhejiang Province. SPSS was applied to conduct descriptive analysis, which results in an effective empirical model for evacuation behavior of the disable groups. The result of this study shows mobility-disadvantage groups' awareness on disaster prevention and mitigation is poor and their knowledge about basic theory and emergency response is limited. Errors and distortions in public consciousness on disaster prevention and mitigation stimulate the development of areas with frequent disasters, which will expose more life and property to danger and aggravate the vulnerability of hazard bearing body. In conclusion, before drafting emergency planning, the government should consider more the disable group's expectations and actual evacuation behavior than the request of the situation to ensure the planning is good to work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Mobile technology: streamlining practice and improving care

    OpenAIRE

    Blake, Holly

    2013-01-01

    The use of mobile phones in care delivery has the potential to improve the way in which care is delivered. When implemented effectively, mobile technologies can empower patients and enhance communication between patients and their health-care providers. When barriers are recognised and addressed, mobile technologies can change working lives, facilitating rapid access to information and supporting efficiency in practice.

  6. 78 FR 42868 - Final Priority; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Rehabilitation...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-18

    ... to: The Americans with Disabilities Act National Network Regional Centers, the Aging and Disability... and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social... and develop additional data resources. To help move the field toward the development of better data...

  7. Social determinants of disability-based disadvantage in Solomon islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gartrell, Alexandra; Jennaway, Megan; Manderson, Lenore; Fangalasuu, Judy; Dolaiano, Simon

    2018-04-01

    Development discourse widely recognises that disability is the result of economic and social processes and structures that fail to accommodate persons with disabilities. Empirical work on the relationship between disability and poverty however, conceptualize poverty through an economic resource lens in high-income countries. To address this conceptual gap this article uses a social determinants of health perspective to examine how socio-cultural, economic and political contexts shape disability-based disadvantage. This article draws upon ethnographic research and supplementary data collected using rapid assessment techniques in Solomon Islands. Findings suggest that the disability-poverty nexus and inequalities in health, wellbeing and quality of life must be understood within broader patterns of social vulnerability that are institutionalised in landownership and patterns of descent, gendered power relations and disability specific stigmas that preclude social and productive engagement . This article demonstrates how a social determinant of health perspective that closely examines lived experiences of disability provides critical analytical insights into the structural mechanisms that constitute disability-based disadvantage. This article provides foundation knowledge on which policies and further research to promote disability-inclusion and equity can be based.

  8. Mobile Technologies & Academics: Do Students Use Mobile Technologies in Their Academic Lives and are Librarians Ready to Meet this Challenge?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Dresselhaus

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In this paper we report on two surveys and offer an introductory plan that librarians may use to begin implementing mobile access to selected library databases and services. Results from the first survey helped us to gain insight into where students at Utah State University (USU in Logan, Utah, stand regarding their use of mobile devices for academic activities in general and their desire for access to library services and resources in particular. A second survey, conducted with librarians, gave us an idea of the extent to which responding libraries offer mobile access, their future plans for mobile implementation, and their opinions about whether and how mobile technologies may be useful to library patrons. In the last segment of the paper, we outline steps librarians can take as they “go mobile.”

  9. 20 CFR 10.420 - How are cost-of-living adjustments applied?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How are cost-of-living adjustments applied... cost-of-living adjustments applied? (a) In cases of disability, a beneficiary is eligible for cost-of... the date the cost-of-living adjustment took effect. The employee's use of continuation of pay as...

  10. Improving Work Participation of Young Adults with Physical Disabilities

    OpenAIRE

    Verhoef, J.A.C.

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ This thesis addresses the work participation of young adults with physical disabilities caused by a chronic condition. With increasing numbers of young people with a chronic physical condition living into adulthood, knowledge about the development of work participation in these young adults and the support they need to achieve suitable employment is needed. Interventions to improve the work participation of young adults with physical disabilities were lacking. The...

  11. Improvements in clinical and functional vision and perceived visual disability after first and second eye cataract surgery

    OpenAIRE

    Elliott, D.; Patla, A.; Bullimore, M.

    1997-01-01

    AIMS—To determine the improvements in clinical and functional vision and perceived visual disability after first and second eye cataract surgery.
METHODS—Clinical vision (monocular and binocular high and low contrast visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and disability glare), functional vision (face identity and expression recognition, reading speed, word acuity, and mobility orientation), and perceived visual disability (Activities of Daily Vision Scale) were measured in 25 subjects before a...

  12. Nurses with disabilities: self-reported experiences as hospital employees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matt, Susan B

    2008-11-01

    Since enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, U.S. employers have been mandated to provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities. Nurses with disabilities have described their experiences, reflecting occurrences that might be noncompliant with these mandates. There is little information available regarding the work experience of nurses with disabilities practicing in hospitals. How these workers view their work world and how they perceive the way others within that environment think of them and their contributions to patient care is important because these individuals must be included as equal participants in a profession that relies on teamwork to function effectively. An exploratory study was conducted to gain a context-based understanding of the lived experiences of hospital-employed nurses with disabilities. Grounded theory methodology was used to uncover themes and to identify factors comprising "disability climate"; such factors might inform the future development of workplace policies supportive of all nurses.

  13. Using applications for mobiles as a creative resource: Cannes Case

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez Sáez, José; García Cubells, Rosario

    2014-01-01

    If it is undeniable how the Internet has revolutionized the world we live in it is worth noting the role of mobile in fostering digital colonization which we live. These devices were born as mobile phones but now with the functional capacity of the smart-phones and tablets allow us to do much more than talking on the phone. Regarding its impact on the advertising system, the investment in mobile marketing was predicted more than a decade ago in a double-digit percentage annual increase. The p...

  14. Disability and sexuality as right to quality of life aspects view of social workers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asta

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available All people – including young people – are sexual beings, regardless of whether or not they live with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities. And, all people need affection, love and intimacy, acceptance, and companionship. In this light, sex education plays a key role in acknowledging matters related not only with sexual activities, but also contraception, personal hygiene, sexual feelings, sexual education, masturbation, friendship, sex, marriage so as motherhood and parenthood. Without appropriate social skills, people with disabilities may have difficulty making and maintaining relations and feel lonely and ‘different’. Without important sexual health knowledge, people with disabilities may make unwise decisions and/or take sexual health risks. Hence, the key understanding is that everyone, including a person with mental disability, is sexual – and has sexuality related emotions and desires. Several foreign scholars have already emphasized the need of sex education for the people with mental, physical and/or emotional challenges, however Lithuanian scholars seem reluctant to analyse such issues and acknowledge the need of sex education for people with mental disabilities. For the last two decades, there has been more focus to promote healthy lifestyle, which in turn influences the sex education programs. Naturally, people with mental disabilities face different challenges than those without disabilities, because they are less informed about sexuality, have less sexual experience and are more prone to sexual exploitation. Hence, the questions under consideration in this paper remain whether sex education is important and necessary to an individual who has mental disabilities? Should parents be concerned about sex education for their disabled children? How issues on disability and sexuality are addressed in Lithuania and elsewhere? How sexuality is related with the quality of life for people with disabilities? The aim – to

  15. Enabling the Classroom and the Curriculum: Higher Education, Literary Studies and Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolt, David

    2017-01-01

    In this article the tripartite model of disability is applied to the lived experience of twenty-first-century higher education. The tripartite model facilitates a complex understanding of disability that recognises assumptions and discrimination but not at the cost of valued identity. This being so, not only the normative positivisms and…

  16. Ageing and People with Learning Disabilities: In Search of Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Carol

    2015-01-01

    Background: Growing numbers of people with learning disabilities are now living into older age. This study aims to examine the state of knowledge about their lives and the challenges that ageing has for both family carers and policymakers and practitioners. Materials and Methods: The article synthesises existing research in the fields of learning…

  17. Rehabilitation and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Past, Present, and Future Directions

    OpenAIRE

    Nochajski, Susan M.

    2004-01-01

    This article provides a brief overview of the history of disability in the United States and discusses the three paradigms: rehabilitation, independent living, and support and empowerment that have guided rehabilitative services for persons with disabilities. Within the context of this historical background, the article also presents various models used to define and classify disability. The effect and influence of society's perceptions of people with disabilities on the evolution and refinem...

  18. An openstack-based flexible video transcoding framework in live

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Qisen; Song, Jianxin

    2017-08-01

    With the rapid development of mobile live business, transcoding HD video is often a challenge for mobile devices due to their limited processing capability and bandwidth-constrained network connection. For live service providers, it's wasteful for resources to delay lots of transcoding server because some of them are free to work sometimes. To deal with this issue, this paper proposed an Openstack-based flexible transcoding framework to achieve real-time video adaption for mobile device and make computing resources used efficiently. To this end, we introduced a special method of video stream splitting and VMs resource scheduling based on access pressure prediction,which is forecasted by an AR model.

  19. Socioeconomics and Major Disabilities: Characteristics of Working-Age Adults in Rwanda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiregu, Joshua; Murindahabi, Nathalie K; Tumusiime, David; Thomson, Dana R; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Ahayo, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Disability affects approximately 15% of the world's population, and has adverse socio-economic effects, especially for the poor. In Rwanda, there are a number of government compensation programs that support the poor, but not specifically persons with disability (PWDs). This study investigates the relationship between poverty and government compensation on disability among working-age adults in Rwanda. This was a secondary analysis of 35,114 adults aged 16 to 65 interviewed in the 2010/2011 Rwanda Household Wealth and Living Conditions survey, a national cross-sectional two-stage cluster survey, stratified by district. This study estimated self-reported major disability, and used chi-square tests to estimate associations (pRwanda, we recommend deliberately targeted services to those with disability via cash transfers, placements in disability-appropriate employment, and micro-savings programs.

  20. Connecting Learning Spaces Using Mobile Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenli; Seow, Peter; So, Hyo-Jeong; Toh, Yancy; Looi, Chee-Kit

    2010-01-01

    The use of mobile technology can help extend children's learning spaces and enrich the learning experiences in their everyday lives where they move from one context to another, switching locations, social groups, technologies, and topics. When students have ubiquitous access to mobile devices with full connectivity, the in-situ use of the mobile…