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In the Eastern European countries included in the communist system of the USSR, parents of disabled children were encouraged to commit their disabled child to institutional care. There were strict legal regulations excluding them from schools. Medical assessments were used for care decisions. Nevertheless many parents decided to care for their disabled child at home within the family. Ukraine became an independent country in 1991, when communism was replaced by liberal democracy within a free market system. Western solutions have been sought for many social problems existing; but 'hidden,' under the old regime. For more of the parents of disabled children, this has meant embracing ideas of caring for their disabled children in the community, and providing for their social, educational, and medical needs, which have previously been denied. The issue of disability is a serious one for Ukraine where the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in 1986 caused extensive radiation poisoning. This almost certainly led to an increase in the number of disabled children being born and an increase in the incidence of various forms of cancer. This paper is based on a series of observation visits to some of the many self-help groups established by parents, usually mothers, for their disabled children. It draws attention to the emotional stress experienced both by parents and their disabled children in the process of attempting to come to terms with the disabling conditions, and the denial of the normal rights of childhood resulting from prejudice, poor resources, ignorance, and restrictive legislation. Attempts have been made to identify the possible role and tasks of professional social workers within this context. International comparisons show that many parents and their children do not benefit from the medical model of disability, and that serious consequences include the development of depressive illness among those who find that little help is available from public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People with disabilities (PWD) are at increased risk of poor mental health. However, this association and the pathways involved remain under-researched in many parts of the world. This study examined the association between disability and psychological distress in nine countries of the former Soviet Union (FSU)., Methods: Data were analysed from 18,000 adults aged ≥18 years collected during the Health in Times of Transition (HITT) survey undertaken in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine in 2010 and 2011. Information was obtained on disability status, the severity of the disability and psychological distress. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate associations., Results: In a fully adjusted combined country analysis, disability was associated with over two times higher odds for psychological distress (odds ratio [OR]: 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.86-2.58). The strength of the association varied across the individual countries. Among PWD more severe disability was associated with significantly higher odds for psychological distress (OR: 2.12, 95%CI: 1.26-3.55)., Limitations: The data were cross-sectional and disability status was self-reported, possibly resulting in underreporting., Conclusions: Disability is associated with worse psychological health in FSU countries, especially among those with more severe disabilities. As poor mental health may also increase the risk of negative outcomes in PWD, this finding highlights the importance of the early detection and treatment of mental disorders in PWD in these countries., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)