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Opoku MP, Belbase S, Nsowah FA, Yeboah K, Nketsia W, Mohamed A, Agyei-Okyere E, Amponteng M, Saah R, Safi M. Coronavirus Disease Vaccination Among Persons With Disabilities: Understanding Vaccine Perceptions and Hesitancy in Ghana. LINACRE QUARTERLY 2023; 90:452-471. [PMID: 37974567 PMCID: PMC10638957 DOI: 10.1177/00243639231178626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been felt globally and in all spheres of life. Developing vaccines was an important milestone in ensuring the protection of lives, but there are concerns about vaccine availability in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The living conditions of persons with disabilities, in particular, in SSA societies have been described as deplorable and unsustainable, and they are at risk of discrimination. Such persons appear to be already struggling to obtain other basic services, and the extent of vaccine accessibility to this population remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the perceptions of persons with disabilities in Ghana of COVID-19 vaccines. Between July 2021 and December 2021, 336 persons with disabilities (hearing, visual, and physical) were recruited from two regions in Ghana. The attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccination scale was adapted for this study. The results showed that persons with disabilities were ambivalent toward vaccination, and differences were observed between participant groups. The background variables found to influence attitude were age, place of residence, educational qualification, gender, and COVID-19 acquisition status. The study concludes with a clarion call to policymakers to expedite public education for persons with disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Peprah Opoku
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shashidhar Belbase
- Curriculum and Method of Instruction, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Kwame Yeboah
- Department of Special Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - William Nketsia
- School of Education, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ahmed Mohamed
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Elvis Agyei-Okyere
- Department of Planning, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Reuben Saah
- Library Section, Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, Abetifi, Ghana
| | - Mohammed Safi
- Department of Speech and Language Pathology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Opoku MP, Elhoweris H, Amponteng M, Nketsia W, Torgbenu EL, Saah R. Pre-service healthcare professionals attitudes and self-efficacy towards individuals with intellectual disability in Ghana. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2023; 23:714. [PMID: 37770888 PMCID: PMC10540369 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04697-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intellectual disability (ID) involves impairment of general mental abilities, restricting the participation of individuals in conceptual, social and practical activities. Consequently, rehabilitation services are critical in efforts towards promoting the social and educational inclusion of persons with ID. However, the preparedness of health professionals in performing such a role depends on their perceptions of individuals with ID. Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour was used as theoretical framework to understand the relationship between the perceived attitude and self-efficacy of healthcare students towards persons with ID. METHOD A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare students (N = 328) in a Ghanaian university. The Community Living Attitude Scale for ID(CLAS-ID) and General Self-efficacy (GSE) Scale were employed to assess their attitudes and self-efficacy towards people with ID respectively. The data were analysed using SPSS and AMOS and were subjected to a t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression. RESULT The healthcare students were ambivalent about both self-efficacy and attitudes towards persons with ID, and there was correlation between attitudes and self-efficacy. Attitudes and self-efficacy also varied across the demographic characteristics of the respondents including age, having a relative with ID, level of study, religion, and programme of study. CONCLUSION The study underscores the necessity for healthcare curriculum reform and provides corresponding recommendations. The study emphasizes the importance of enhancing healthcare students' understanding of ID, changing their attitudes, and bolstering their self-efficacy. This is crucial to foster positive attitudes, confidence in providing support to individuals with ID, and raising awareness within the broader community. To achieve this, health educators are encouraged to incorporate exposure to individuals with ID into healthcare students' training, along with more structured field experiences designed to increase their contact and interaction with individuals with ID. Such initiatives would enable students to better understand the uniqueness and requirements of individuals with ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Peprah Opoku
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Hala Elhoweris
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, P. O. Box 15551, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - William Nketsia
- School of Education, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Eric Lawer Torgbenu
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
- University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Reuben Saah
- Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education, Library Section, Abetifi, Ghana
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Mohamed AR, Sterkenburg P, van Rensburg E, Schuengel C. Adapting Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up for infants and young children with intellectual disabilities and developmental delays in South Africa: Reflections and recommendations from local stakeholders. Infant Ment Health J 2023; 44:54-75. [PMID: 36538474 PMCID: PMC10107761 DOI: 10.1002/imhj.22027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) is an intervention targeted at enhancing the socioemotional and regulatory functioning of at-risk infants. However, to use the ABC for infants/toddlers with intellectual disabilities/developmental delays (ID/DD) and in novel cultural contexts, such as South Africa, adaptations may be required. This study aimed, therefore, to explore the opinions of clinical experts and perceptions of caregivers regarding the use of ABC for children with ID/DD in South Africa. It also sought to incorporate the experiences of families of children with ID/DD who received, and intervenors who delivered, ABC in its first implementation in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants. Thematic analysis explicated 12 main themes: Intervention Strengths, Points of Concern, and Recommendations (Experts); Focus on Caregiver-child Relationship, and Intervention Targets and Duration (Caregivers); Benefits of ABC, and Cultural Considerations (ABC Recipients); Focused and Targeted, Value of Feedback, Supportive Supervision, Working Alliance, and Challenges Experienced (ABC Intervenors). Practice and training recommendations include psychoeducation for parents and training for intervenors that is ID/DD-specific, expanding supervision capacity, building intervenors' cultural/linguistic sensitivity and competence, accessing referral networks, including local Community Health Workers as intervenors, and greater flexibility in how the sessions are organized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Riaz Mohamed
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Psychology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,Department of Psychology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Paula Sterkenburg
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Assessment and Treatment, Bartiméus, Doorn, Netherlands
| | - Esmé van Rensburg
- Department of Psychology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Carlo Schuengel
- Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Liang LY. Affiliated stigma and contact frequency in sibling relationships of adults with intellectual disabilities: The mediation of relational motivations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 69:728-737. [PMID: 37547559 PMCID: PMC10402831 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2021.2014740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Background: Typically developing (TD) siblings play a crucial role in promoting the health and well-being of adults with intellectual disabilities. Their involvement in the sibling relationship during adulthood may predict their likelihood of providing care to the sibling with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, different types of motivations (discretionary and obligatory) related to the contact frequency of TD siblings have not been fully explored. Little is known about how their negative experiences, such as affiliated stigma, influences relational motivations, which consequently affect contact frequency. This study examined these links in a Chinese context. Method: In total, 1,298 Chinese siblings were surveyed using questionnaires, and structural equation modelling was used to test the mediation effect. Results: Contact frequencies of TD siblings were significantly affected by discretionary motivation, obligatory motivation, and stigma experiences. The findings supported the mediating effect of obligatory motivation in the relationship between affiliated stigma and contact frequency. Conclusion: This study is among the first to examine whether the relational motivation of TD siblings predicts their contact frequency within their relationships with adult siblings with ID. We found that both types of relational motivations of TD siblings positively predicted contact behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-yin Liang
- Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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Evlyn D, Cayami FK, Ediati A, Utari A, Winarni TI. Attitudes of Indonesian health science undergraduates toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disabilities. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 118:104082. [PMID: 34507052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sexuality is a fundamental part of the lives of human beings. However, a significant inequality exists regarding the right of an individual with intellectual disabilities. AIMS This study aimed to explore the attitudes of undergraduate health science students toward sexuality in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) in Indonesia. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed using the Indonesian version of Attitudes toward Sexuality Questionnaires in Intellectual Disability (ASQ-ID). This study involved 617 students in medical, psychology, and public health undergraduate programs. RESULTS Among all participants (n = 617, male = 137, female = 480), the attitude towards self-control was found a significant difference among all three health science undergraduates (p = .01). The psychology students had the most favorable attitudes toward self-control compared to other students. The difference was found between medical and public health students and between public health and psychology students with p = .009 and p = .011, respectively. Religion was significantly affected for the non-reproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038). The religion was found to have significant effect on the attitude towards nonreproductive sexual behavior subscale (p = .038). CONCLUSIONS Results show that Indonesian undergraduate students majoring in the health sciences have varying attitudes toward sexuality in individuals with ID. Medical and psychology students have more favorable attitudes toward self-control, whereas public health students have less favorable attitudes. Their religion influencing the attitudes toward nonreproductive sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desiyana Evlyn
- Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia.
| | - Ferdy Kurniawan Cayami
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia; Center for Biomedical Research (CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia.
| | - Annastasia Ediati
- Faculty of Psychology, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia.
| | - Agustini Utari
- Center for Biomedical Research (CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl Dr. Sutomo no 16, Semarang, 50244, Central Java, Indonesia.
| | - Tri Indah Winarni
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia; Center for Biomedical Research (CEBIOR), Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. H. Soedarto, SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Central Java, Indonesia.
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Opoku MP, Elhoweris H, Jiya AN, Ngoh NAP, Nketsia W, Kumi EO, Torgbenu EL. Cross-national study of communal attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa: Cameroon vs. Ghana. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257482. [PMID: 34582489 PMCID: PMC8478177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An intellectual disability (ID) is characterized by a deficit in the functional, cognitive, and adaptive skills required for independent living. Due to the low cognitive capabilities of individuals with IDs, they have become victims of marginalization, exclusion, and denial of their fundamental rights to basic necessities in societies around the world. While efforts are being made to improve service provision to and acceptance of individuals with disabilities, the extent of communal acceptance and recognition of these individuals as equal members of society remains underexplored in sub-Saharan African countries such as Cameroon and Ghana. OBJECTIVE As attitudes toward individuals with IDs are pivotal in shaping national policies, this cross-national study examined communal attitudes toward persons with IDs in Cameroon and Ghana. METHOD The Community Living Attitude Scale for Intellectual Disabilities (CLAS-ID) was used to collect data from a total of 741 university students in the two countries. The validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis and principal component analysis. The association between the background variables and attitudes was examined using t-tests, analysis of variance, linear regression, and two-way factor analysis. RESULTS The results showed the validity of the CLAS-ID as a valid tool for measuring communal attitudes toward individuals with IDs in sub-Saharan Africa. The participants appeared ambivalent about attitude towards individuals with ID and other findings showed no association between attitudes and variables such as gender, relation, and contact with individuals with IDs. CONCLUSION We discuss the need for innovative approaches aimed at changing attitudes toward individuals with IDs in sub-Saharan Africa as well as other study implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Peprah Opoku
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hala Elhoweris
- Special Education Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Alex Nester Jiya
- Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan African University, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Nlem Anne-Paule Ngoh
- Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan African University, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - William Nketsia
- School of Education, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Eric Lawer Torgbenu
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
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Jansen-van Vuuren J, Nuri RP, Nega A, Batorowicz B, Lysaght R, Aldersey HM. Family quality of life for families of children with disabilities in African contexts: a scoping review. Qual Life Res 2021; 31:1289-1307. [PMID: 34537914 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-021-02994-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Family Quality of Life (FQOL) is an important outcome for families of children with disabilities and is influenced by context and culture. Minimal research explores FQOL in African contexts. PURPOSE This scoping review identifies factors contributing to FQOL for families of children with disabilities in African contexts. METHOD We were guided by Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, searching for research papers from the following electronic databases: CINAHL, Embase, Medline, Global Health, and PsycINFO. Using pre-determined eligibility criteria, two authors independently reviewed articles for inclusion via Covidence, a reference manager that facilitates blind reviewing. Two other authors independently extracted data from studies using a data-charting form based on Zuna and colleagues' FQOL framework. Reviewers met regularly for discussion to reach consensus. RESULTS Fifty-three articles met the inclusion criteria, and findings demonstrated a broad variety of factors contributing to FQOL within the FQOL framework related to family unit factors, individual member factors, and external support factors. We found that poverty, stigma, and spirituality were particularly prominent factors affecting FQOL negatively and positively in African contexts. CONCLUSION Whilst there are universal factors that contribute to FQOL, recognising the influence of context-specific factors (i.e. poverty, stigma, spirituality) is important in order to provide effective, culturally relevant support that enhances FQOL for families of children with disabilities in African contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ansha Nega
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Beata Batorowicz
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Rosemary Lysaght
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
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Abstract
Purpose of Review This review explores recent literature (from 2017 onwards) to identify current developments related to reducing stigma and increasing acceptance for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in their communities across diverse cultures. Recent Findings We identified literature related to experiences of stigma for people with IDD and their families across diverse cultures, as well as current and potential interventions and approaches for promoting acceptance. Summary Although the literature confirms that stigma is still a major barrier to acceptance and inclusion for people with IDD regardless of culture, there appears to be progress in terms of using diverse approaches to support acceptance and belonging. Researchers are also increasingly acknowledging the importance of culture and context in the experience and mitigation of stigma. There remains a need for researchers and practitioners to include people with IDD in identifying and prioritising interventions that promote belonging within their communities.
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