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Participation Restriction due to Arm and Leg Motor Impairment after Stroke Rehabilitation in the Tamale Metropolitan Area, Ghana

TWUM, Frank
DOGBE, Joslin Alexander
EDUSEI, Anthony Kwaku
AMPRATWUM, Joseph
2018

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Purpose: The study was conducted to examine the relationship between arm and leg motor impairment in stroke survivors and participation restriction, post rehabilitation, within the Tamale metropolis.

 

Method: The participants were 102 stroke survivors from the Tamale metropolitan area, who had undergone at least 3 months of rehabilitation. Upper limb motor assessment was followed by lower limb motor assessment based on the Manual Muscle Test. Levels of participation restriction were measured using the London Handicap Scale. Correlation analysis of motor impairment and participation restriction were done using Spearman rank correlation analysis.

 

Results: The mean age of post-stroke participants was 62.08 years (95% CI= 59.77-64.39), with men comprising 67.65% and 32.35% women. The Spearman rank correlation co-efficient between arm motor impairment and participation was 0.8343, depicting a strong positive relationship between the aforementioned variables. The correlation between leg motor impairment and participation yielded 0.8013. Conversely, leg motor impairment was found to have a stronger relationship with participation restriction in comparison to arm motor impairment.

 

Conclusion and Implications: The strong relationship between limb motor impairment and participation restriction suggests that clinicians and disability experts involved in rehabilitation should take cognisance of the social implication of motor impairment in order to make informed decisions. Further to this, arm and leg assistive devices could be useful in reducing the levels of participation restriction among persons with stroke within the Tamale metropolis.

 

Limitations: A major limitation is that motor impairment was assessed solely on the ability to perform voluntary movement (muscle power). Sensory disturbances and motor coordination difficulties also have the potential to influence participation restriction, so the exclusion of stroke survivors who are unable to communicate implies that external validity of the research is limited.

Managing epidemics - Key facts about major deadly diseases

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION (WHO)
2018

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The manual is structured in three parts.

  • Part One “Epidemics of the 21st century” provides vital insights on the main features of the 21st century upsurge and the indispensable elements to manage them.
  • Part Two “Be in the know. 10 key facts about 15 deadly diseases” contains key information about 15 diseases (Ebola Virus Disease, Lassa Fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Yellow Fever, Zika, Chikungunya, Avian and Other Zoonotic Influenza, Seasonal Influenza, Pandemic Influenza, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Cholera, Monkeypox, Plague, Leptospirosis and Meningococcal Meningitis). This section provides tips on the interventions required to respond to epidemics of all these diseases.
  • Part Three “Tool boxes” gives an overview and summarized guidance on some other important topics, including: the role of WHO, the International Coordinating Group, laboratory diagnosis and shipment of infectious diseases substances, and vector control.

 

The handbook enables the three levels of WHO – its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Country Offices to work efficiently together by building the foundations of a shared conceptual and thinking framework, which includes common terminology. 

African Journal of Disability Vol 7 (2018)

2018

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This journal provides

  • Nineteen original research articles on a variety of topics including the cost of raising a child with autism, experiences of care givers to stroke survivors, dyslexic's learning experiences, communication rehabilitation, disability and food security, hearing children of deaf parents and rehabilitation of stroke survivors, disability policy, learning for deaf learners, aquatic based interventions for children with cerebral palsy, evaluation of community based rehabilitation programmes, the impact of stroke and barriers to the implementation of inclusive education.
  • Seven review articles: Intellectual disability rights and inclusive citizenship in South Africa: What can a scoping review tell us?; The benefits of hydrotherapy to patients with spinal cord injuries; Simple ideas that work: Celebrating development in persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities; The relationship between social support and participation in stroke: A systematic review; Parents of children with disabilities: A systematic review of parenting interventions and self-efficacy; Implementation of the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Zimbabwe: A review; Part 1: A review of using photovoice as a disability research method: Implications for eliciting the experiences of persons with disabilities on the Community Based Rehabilitation programme in Namibia
  • There is an opinion paper entitled - Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities
  •  There is a case study - Lessons from the pilot of a mobile application to map assistive technology suppliers in Africa

Disability & the Global South (DGS), 2018, Vol. 5 No. 1

2018

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Articles include:

  • Inclusive Education in the global South? A Colombian perspective: ‘When you look towards the past, you see children with disabilities, and if you look towards the future, what you see is diverse learners
  • Services for people with Communication Disabilities in Uganda: supporting a new Speech and Language Therapy profession
  • Frida Kahlo and Pendular Disability Identity: A Textual Examination of El Diario de Frida Kahlo
  • Health Information-Seeking Behaviour of Visually Impaired Persons in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria
  • Online Collective Identities for Autism: The Perspective of Brazilian Parents
  • Transnationalizing Disability Policy in Embedded Cultural-Cognitive Worldviews: the Case of Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Portrayal of Disabled People in the Kuwaiti Media

Services for people with communication disabilities in Uganda: supporting a new speech and language therapy professional

MARSHALL, Julie
WICKENDEN, Mary
2018

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Services for people with communication disability (PWCD), including speech and language therapists (SLTs), are scarce in countries of the global South. A SLT degree programme was established at Makerere University, Uganda, in 2008. In 2011, an innovative project was set up to provide in-service training and mentoring for graduates and staff of the programme. This paper describes the project and its evaluation over three years. Three types of input: direct training, face-to-face individual and group meetings, and remote mentoring, were provided to 26 participants and evaluated using written and verbal methods. The first two types of input were evaluated mainly positively, while remote mentoring received more mixed evaluations. Less positive evaluations were linked to factors including resourcing, cultural perceptions about professional roles and services, work patterns, power/status, engagement, perceptions of help-seeking, community recognition of the needs for services for PWCD. Findings suggest that participatory approaches, flexibility, reflexivity and open discussion with participants around support and work challenges, are important. Power gradients between white Northern ‘experts’ and relatively inexperienced East African SLTs, contributed to some challenges. Structural issues about degree programme structures and statutory bodies, provide lessons about the development of new services and professions in low-income settings. 

 

Disability and the Global South, 2018 Vol.5, No. 1

Portrayal of disabled people in the Kuwaiti media

ALENAIZI, Hussain Mohammed
2018

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This paper explores the views of 10 participants on how the Kuwaiti media represents disabled people. Participants expressed their views through focus groups and interviews. The findings show that, generally, disabled people in Kuwait are shown in a negative light in the media. The media depicts disabled people as ‘pitiable’, ‘violent’, ‘sinister’, ‘tragic’, and as a ‘tool of ridicule’. The findings, however, witness some positive examples of media representation regarding how some TV shows portray deaf people in a positive light. On the other hand, the study suggests that learning disabled people are the most negatively depicted group in Kuwaiti society. There are also indications of implicit endorsement or internalisation by the participants of views of disabled people as ‘extraordinary’ despite the presence of their impairments. The study concludes that it is more important that the media shows the everyday lives of disabled people before showing their abilities and achievements.

 

Disability and the Global South, 2018, Vol.5, No. 1

Inclusion for all: Research case study June 2018: Occupied Palestinian Territories

CAPPER, Sarah
El ZOKM, Norah
2018

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The Inclusion for All program, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and implemented by Save the Children and its partners, seeks to increase the access of children with disabilities (CwD) to quality education and to strengthen child rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). The program works with children, parents, teachers, counselors, and principals at 30 public, UNRWA, and private schools in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, since 2015. In addition, the program supports full inclusion of CwD in education and child rights governance through extracurricular activities run by a host of partner organizations and promotes policies and mechanisms that support such inclusion and child rights. This review of the Inclusion for All program, completed between February and May 2018, utilizes previously-collected quantitative data, in addition to data from focus group discussions and interviews with children, parents, teachers, counselors, principals, policymakers, and program implementers and observations of program activities.

Introduction to Disabled Refugees Welcome project

INDEPENDENT LIVING INSTITUTE
January 2018

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Disabled Refugees Welcome (DRW) is a 3-year project run by Independent Living Institute (ILI) and it's main goal is to develop methods that will improve the conditions for the reception of disabled newcomers in Sweden. 

 

Project worker Julius Ntobuah shares his experiences as an asylum seeker with disability in Sweden and his commitment for better reception of newcomers with functional disabilities.

Towards inclusion. A guide for organisations and practitioners

VAN EK, Vera
SCHOT, Sander
November 2017

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Inclusive development is about creating societies that value and enfranchise all marginalised groups. It is often not difficult to open up development projects to persons from these marginalised groups. But it does take time before organisations are willing and able to fully commit to inclusion.

Towards Inclusion aims to support organisations who wish to commit to an inclusive approach. It establishes the rationale for inclusion and provides technical advice and tools for putting theory into practice. It is intended to be used as a reference during organisational development, as well as a tool to support good practice in implementation.

If you are looking to support a (development) organisation in the process of becoming an inclusive organisation, then Towards Inclusion is for you

This guide consists of three parts. The first part guides the reader through the process of assessing whether or not the organization is ready to change towards becoming a more inclusive organization. The second part introduces the ACAP framework, which sets up a way of approaching inclusion via focus on the areas: Access, Communication, Attitude and Participation. It then demonstrates how the framework can be applied to projects and programmes. The third part provides guidelines for the people who will guide organizations through the process of change towards becoming inclusive of persons from marginalized groups

Human rights of refugee-survivors of sexual and gender-based violence with communication disability

MARSHALL, Julie
BARRETT, Helen
November 2017

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The main aims of this project were to document current knowledge about the intersectionality between sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), communication disability and refugees, to identify any reported good practice, and to begin to understand and describe the challenges to supporting refugee-survivors of SGBV with communication disability, in Rwanda. The project involved 54 participants, including 50 humanitarian and partner organisation staff and four carers of refugees with communication disabilities, from two locations (camp-based and urban refugees).

 

International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology,  20:1, 44-49,

DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2017.1392608

Mental health assessments in refugees and asylum seekers: evaluation of a tablet-assisted screening software

MORINA, Naser
et al
October 2017

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Mental health problems resulting from persecution and forced migration are very common among refugees and asylum seekers and evolve into a major public health challenge. Language barriers often prevent timely access to appropriate health care, leading to chronic trajectories and abortive social integration. Tools for multilingual screening and assessment could be of great benefit for this particularly vulnerable population as well as for policy makers. This study aimed at testing the reliability, feasibility and usability of the Multi-Adaptive Psychological Screening Software (MAPSS), a newly developed Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview Software (ACASI) for touchscreen devices, for screening purposes in a clinical setting. In a randomized cross-over design including both MAPSS and paper-pencil clinician-administered interviews, 30 treatment-seeking refugees completed clinical measures and a feasibility questionnaire to rate the user interface of MAPSS. Five professionals performed given tasks in MAPSS and completed usability questionnaires for the administration interface.

Conflict and Health 2017 11:18

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-017-0120-2

Ensuring universal access to eye health in urban slums in the Global South: the case of Bhopal (India).

PREGEL, Andrea
et al
October 2017

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In the context of its Urban Eye Health Programme in Bhopal (India), Sightsavers launched a pilot approach aimed at developing an Inclusive Eye Health (IEH) model and IEH Minimum Standards.

Accessibility audits were conducted in a tertiary eye hospital and four primary vision centres located within urban slums, addressing the accessibility of physical infrastructures, communication and service provision. The collection and analysis of disaggregated data inform the inclusion strategy and provide a baseline to measure the impact of service provision. Trainings of eye health staff and sensitisation of decision makers on accessibility, universal design, disability and gender inclusion are organised on a regular basis.

A referral network is being built to ensure participation of women, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups, explore barriers at demand level, and guarantee wider access to eye care in the community. Finally, advocacy interventions will be developed to raise awareness in the community and mainstream disability and gender inclusion within the public health sector.

Resource book on Disability Inclusion

LIGHT FOR THE WORLD
2017

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This is a resource book on disability inclusive practices. Within this book a variety of resources has been brought together that are relevant for disability inclusion. This is of particular interest for persons working in (development) organisations who would like to ensure that their projects and programmes are inclusive of persons with disabilities.

This book consists of four parts:

Core concepts
How To Pages
Resource Listing
Trainer-facilitator’s Guide

The book relies heavily on the experiences and practices of inclusion developed by different organisations to which the authors are indebted, and they have tried to make reference to the sources wherever possible. In addition, they have drawn on their experiences as programme managers and disability inclusion advisors.

These materials may be used for non-commercial purposes, with proper references to all authors and sources involved. Should you use this resource book in your training or other work, please let us know via lab@light-for-the-world.org.

Towards Inclusion - A guide for organisations and practitioners

VAN EK, Vera
SCHOT, Sander
2017

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This guide is the result of collaboration between Light for the World (LFTW), Mission East (ME), and ICCO Cooperation.

Based on decades of experience of working with the most marginalized and excluded communities, the three organizations cooperated to record their experiences in a publication which can be used in a variety of relief and development contexts. ‘Towards Inclusion’ is designed to be an easy to use reference for organizational and program/project development with a focus on gender responsiveness and disability inclusion.

The guide is made up of three parts:
• the first part guides users through the process of organizational self-assessment to determine readiness to change and identify key steps towards becoming a more inclusive organization.
• the second part introduces the ACAP framework, as a means of improving inclusion in programming via Access, Communication, Attitude and Participation. A range of tools for measuring and improving inclusion at all stages of the project cycle are provided.
• the third part provides guidelines for the people or ‘change facilitators’ who will guide organizations through the process of change towards becoming more inclusive.

The publication can be found at “Towards Inclusion Guide” and the accessible version of the publication can be downloaded. Both are free of charge.

Possibilities for organisation trainings and/or webinars on the practical application of the guide are under consideration. Contact ACAP@gmail.com.

Leaving no-one behind: using assistive technology to enhance community living for people with intellectual disability

OWUOR, John
LARKIN, Fiona
MacLACHLAN, Malcolm
April 2017

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The transformation of community care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) through enhanced access to assistive technology (AT) is discussed. The problems associated with lack of access to AT and the extent to which these occur are reported. Issues in lack of AT provision, including lack of global standards, are discussed. A call to action is made with reference to the appropriate parts of CRPD.   

 

 

Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 12:5, 426-428

DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2017.1312572 

Accessibility for All: Good practices of accessibility in Asia and the Pacific to promote disability-inclusive development

AKIYAMA, Aiko
HOLLIS, Jake
KRETZSCHMAR, Tyler
December 2016

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"This publication seeks to support policymakers in promoting accessibility at a policy and practical level. It contains information on relevant global and regional mandates that support and promote disability-inclusive development and accessibility, with a view to demonstrate the multi-faceted value of focusing on disability and accessibility policies to achieve broader development goals. Readers will learn about the core concepts of disability and accessibility, and be empowered with knowledge on standards, tools and means of promoting accessibility. Furthermore, this publication will outline and analyse examples of good practices of accessibility identified in Asia and the Pacific. The majority of the good practices featured in this publication were initially discussed at two international and multi-stakeholder workshops that took place in 2014 and 2015, with a few additional examples drawn from Pacific island member States. The selection of practices for this publication is based on their embodiment of the principles of accessibility, demonstrated success, measurable impact on the community, and their adaptable and replicable nature"

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities (theme: access to rights-based support for persons with disabilities)

DEVANDAS, Catalina
December 2016

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In her report, the Special Rapporteur provides an overview of the activities undertaken in 2016, as well as a thematic study on access to support by persons with disabilities. The study includes guidance for States on how to ensure the provision of different forms of rights-based support and assistance for persons with disabilities, in consultation with them. In preparing the study, the Special Rapporteur convened a regional expert consultation in Addis Ababa in September 2016 and analysed the responses to a questionnaire sent to Member States, national human rights institutions, agencies of the United Nations system, civil society organisations and persons with disabilities and their representative organisations. As at 5 December 2016, she had received 114 responses. 

App-cessibility - apps to make your tech more accessible for you.

OSBOURNE, Abbie
October 2016

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Three adaptive apps for mobile phones are briefly introduced. RogerVoice helps the hard of hearing to make phone calls by automatically transcribing speech. The dyslexia key can make the font easier to read and also can enable a sequential keyboard. Be My Eyes enables users to request help from volunteer readers by phone using videolinks

The promise and the reality: a mental health workforce perspective on technology-enhanced youth mental health service delivery

ORLOWSKI, Simone
LAWN, Sharon
MATTHEWS, Ben
et al
October 2016

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Digital technologies show promise for reversing poor engagement of youth (16–24 years) with mental health services. In particular, mobile and internet based applications with communication capabilities can augment face-to-face mental health service provision. Results of in-depth qualitative data drawn from various stakeholders involved in provision of youth mental health services in one Australian rural region are described. Data were obtained using focus groups and semi-structured interviews with regional youth mental health clinicians, youth workers and support/management staff and analysed via inductive thematic analysis. Six main themes were identified: young people in a digital age, personal connection, power and vulnerability, professional identity, individual factors and organisational legitimacy. 

 

DOI: 10.1186/s12913-016-1790-y

The Equality Act 2010: the impact on disabled people. House of Lords Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and disability report of session 2015–16

HOUSE OF LORDS, Select Committee on the Equality Act 2010 and Disability
March 2016

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The committee considered whether the UK Equality Act 2010, a legislative framework, adequately supports the fight against disability discrimination and how it can be made to work better for disabled people. Aspects covered include: the Red Tape Challenge; the Public Sector Equality Duty; leisure facilities and housing; access to justice; the restoration of the Equality and Human Rights helpline and conciliation service; and communication. Major issues identified were the need to include disabled people in the planning of services and buildings and communication concerning this, the need to be proactive rather than reactive or process driven and the importance of enforceable rights. Statistics concerning disabled people living in the UK are presented. The development of the Equality Act, and it's relationship with the UNCRPD and with EU law are outlined.

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