Empowering Inclusion: Understanding Community Perspectives on Persons with Disability and Assistive Technology - A Pilot Study

Deepa Anil Kumar; Gowri Nambiar Sengupta; Shashi Kant  Yadav; Atul Goel; Sanjay Kumar  Bhoi; Samiksha  Arora

Deepa Anil Kumar Consultant (Research), Central Health Education Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi, India
Gowri Nambiar Sengupta DDG (PH) & Director, Central Health Educati on Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi, India
Shashi Kant Yadav Consultant (Social Science), Central Health Educati on Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi, India
Atul Goel Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dte. GHS, MoHFW, Government of India
Sanjay Kumar Bhoi Consultant (Training), Central Health Education Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi, India
Samiksha Arora Consultant (Public Health), Central Health Educati on Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services (Dte. GHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, New Delhi, India

Keywords: Persons with Disabiliti es, Physical Disability, KAP, Assisti ve Technology

Abstract

Background: Disability poses a substanti al public health concern worldwide. Social inclusion and assisti ve technology play a crucial role in enhancing the overall well-being of Persons with Disabiliti es (PwDs).
Objecti ve: To evaluate the knowledge, atti tudes, and percepti ons of the adult populati on regarding PwDs and assisti ve technology, as well as to develop strategies for training and mass awareness campaigns on assisti ve technology Methodology: This cross-secti onal study was conducted among 142 individuals aged 18 years and above from various parts of Delhi. A 23-item questi onnaire having four secti ons, addressing socio-
demographics, knowledge, atti tude, and percepti on about physically disabled persons, and assisti ve technology was implemented to collect data.
Results: Of all parti cipants, 14.79% demonstrated knowledge of disabiliti es, while 54.237% were aware of the Rights of Persons with Disabiliti es (RPwD) Act, with 81.69% knowing its key components. Concerns were raised about discomfort in socialising with PwDs (32.39%), affordability of assistive products (80.99%), PwDs’ parti cipati on in public acti viti es (71.13%), and social sti gma (64.79%). The need for health educati on initi ati ves to promote awareness and accessibility of assisti ve technologies for PwDs was also seen. Conclusion: The study populati on has gaps in their knowledge atti tude and percepti ons and requires community-level health educati on to promote awareness of social acceptance and the availability of assisti ve technology for PwDs so that they can adopt innovati ve technologies.

How to cite this arti cle:
Kumar D A, Sengupta G N, Yadav S K, Goel A, Bhoi S K, Arora S. Empowering Inclusion: Understanding Community Perspectives on Persons with Disability and Assisti ve Technology - A Pilot Study. Int J Preven Curat Comm Med. 2024;10(1):16-21

DOI: htt ps://doi.org/10.24321/2454.325X.202402

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