Search

The Measure of accessibility to urban infrastructures for adults with physical disabilities was first published in 2012 and proved to have good inter-rater reliability. Yet, the format (more user-friendly) and content (updated references and labels) of this instrument needed to be improved. Therefore, a new version, now entitled Measure of Environmental Accessibility (MEA), was developed to provide professionals and individuals defending the rights of persons with disabilities with a more user-friendly, objective measure of accessibility of exterior and interior urban infrastructures for adults with mobility, visual and hearing impairments. The aim of this paper is to present the improvements made in this new version and evaluate its inter-rater reliability. This cross-sectional study for inter-rater reliability was conducted by a student in occupational therapy and a student in architecture who performed 30 MEA evaluations of public infrastructures. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using Gwet’s AC1 statistic. Most items (71%, 626/882) had AC1 values ranging from good to excellent. Some items had lower inter-rater reliability coefficients (12%, 108/882, p-value

For a city to be inclusive, its physical environment needs to be identified, characterized and assessed prior to transformations and improvements. Such identification is the first step to impact on politics for citizens with impairments and functional limitations since environmental obstacles limits their social participation. The objective of this research was to develop a comprehensive and applicable information set for the description of the physical environment in support of the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in Quebec City’s context. We developed a taxonomy based on the Human Development Model – Disability Creation Process (HDM-DCP). We reviewed documents containing nomenclatures with respect to the specific case of Quebec City’s physical environment. We organized the information under the original taxa of the HDM-DCP, this was carried out via an iterative process where elements of similar type were organized into a common level of one hierarchical branch under general categories. When categories linking objects to broader subcategories were not already identified, we expanded the structure by creating new sub-categories or hybrids. Applicability of the developed taxonomy was tested through field analyses and testing (photos of street sections) to determine whether it included all objects and infrastructures observed in the city. The resulting taxonomy was found to be useful in identifying/mapping elements of the physical environment. Both at the individual and collective level, it allows the identification of the elements that play a role in mobility, resulting in enhanced social participation or disabling situations for people with disabilities.

Abstract: Winter is expensive. For countries situated in the northern hemisphere, closer to the north pole, such as Canada, Russia and Scandinavia, winter requires the acquisition of special clothing, car tires, and sports equipment, snow removal or plowing from the streets, and is associated with the presence of ice patches, along with accidents and illnesses associated with cold weather. Fall-related injuries due to winter conditions have been estimated to cost the Canadian health care system $ 2.8 billion a year. However, the greatest cost snow entails every year is the social isolation of seniors as well as wheelchair and walker users. This results from the lack of accessibility, as it is difficult to circulate on snow-covered streets even for the able-bodied. Social isolation has been associated with other negative consequences such as depression and even suicide. This exploratory pilot study aimed at finding possible and feasible design solutions for improving the accessibility of sidewalks during winter conditions. For this project we used a Co-Design methodology. Stakeholders (City of Quebec representatives, designers, urban planners, occupational therapists, and adults with motor, visual and aural disabilities) were invited to participate in the design process. In order to meet the objectives, two main steps were carried out: 1. Conception of the design solutions (through Co-design sessions in a Focus-group format with seniors, designers and researchers); and 2. Validation of the design solutions (consultation with experts and stakeholders). The results are a wide variety of possible and feasible solutions, including the reorganisation of the snow-removal procedure and the development of heated curb cuts. This project was funded by the City of Quebec in partnership with the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS). Ultimately, the project sought to explore possible solutions to be implemented, if feasible, in the future by the municipal government.

BackgroundTransportation is essential for people of all ages and backgrounds to live a fulfilling and satisfying life. Public transport (PT) can facilitate access to the community and improve social participation. However, people with disabilities may encounter barriers or facilitators in the whole travel chain that can lead to negative or positive perceptions in terms of self-efficacy or satisfaction. These barriers may be perceived depending on the nature of the disability. Few studies have identified PT barriers and facilitators experienced by people with disabilities. However, findings were focused mainly on specific disabilities. Access requires broader considerations of barriers and facilitators for various types of disabilities. ObjectiveThis scoping review aims to describe the barriers and facilitators to the use of PT experienced by people with various disabilities in the whole travel chain and to explore perceived experiences, self-efficacy, and satisfaction when using PT. MethodsA scoping review will be conducted using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist. The literature search will be conducted using the electronic databases MEDLINE, Transport Database, and PsycINFO via Ovid platform, Embase, and Web of Science from 1995 to 2022. Two reviewers will independently identify studies based on inclusion (published in English or French, outcomes on PT accessibility for people with disabilities, peer-reviewed or guideline reports or editorials) and exclusion (no full text, focused on a technology system, outcome validation study, study on no-fixed route PT accessibility, etc) criteria and extract the data. When a study has addressed the accessibility of multiple modes of PT, including fixed-route PT, it will be retained. However, only data on fixed-route PT will be extracted. Any related systematic reviews identified through the search will be retained, and the reference lists will be hand-searched and screened for inclusion criteria. ResultsThe search we performed on July 21, 2022, in the databases mentioned above allowed us to retrieve 6399 citations. Of these citations, 31 articles were identified, and data extraction was performed. As of March 11, 2023, we have started data analysis. The findings will be synthesized narratively to summarize the barriers and facilitators to PT, perceived experiences with PT, self-efficacy for using PT, and satisfaction with PT according to the Human Development Model-Disability Creation Process conceptual framework. ConclusionsThe results of this scoping review could lead to a better understanding of the potential barriers and facilitators to the use of PT by people with various types of disabilities and how negative or positive experiences throughout the travel may influence their self-efficacy and satisfaction. The results may be used to provide recommendations to PT providers and policy makers to work together to make PT accessible, usable, and inclusive for all people with disabilities. Trial RegistrationOpen Science Framework OSF.IO/2JDQS; https://osf.io/2jdqs International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/43188

BackgroundAlthough there have been recent efforts to improve access to Canadian national parks, many remain not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Winter conditions, in particular, present challenges that limit their participation in outdoor activities. ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop a novel method to assess park access during winter, which will inform recommendations for national park standards to meet the needs of all park visitors (regardless of ability) during winter conditions. MethodsA larger participatory mixed methods research project exploring park access was adapted. A 3-phase approach has already been proposed to achieve the study objectives. In the first phase, a scoping review of the existing accessibility standards will be conducted. In the second phase, objective audits of trails and features in 6 parks, 3 in western Canada and 3 in eastern Canada, will be conducted, as well as mobile interviews with 24 various participants in each region regarding their experiences of and recommendations for improving the park’s accessibility. In the final phase, a Delphi participatory consensus development process will be used, based on the data gathered in the first 2 phases, to prioritize recommendations for standards. This paper will focus on the second phase of the study, specifically on whether the in-person winter mobile interviews (ie, walking and wheeling interviews) with people who have a wide range of disabilities while visiting 3 parks in 2 provinces were modified. Changes were made to accommodate the extreme winter weather conditions in Quebec while using safe and informative data collection methods. ResultsIn Quebec, one park, where winter conditions are safer, has been assessed in person (n=4). Web-based interviews were used to facilitate the assessment of other winter and summer conditions in two other parks (n=8). Winter and web-based interviews were completed in April 2022. Data are currently being collected and analyzed, and results will be completed by December 2022. ConclusionsWe expect that adapting the protocol to gather further information on winter conditions and access to parks will provide high-quality and rich data to better inform park access standards. This participatory mixed methods research will inform the development of park standards that consider the accessibility needs of all people. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/38715

BackgroundCanada’s national parks are world-renowned. However, despite recent attempts to improve access, many are not accessible to people with disabilities. With the advent of provincial and federal legislation, standards are being developed to assist with the design and management of parks. ObjectiveThe overarching objective of this study is to inform accessibility standards for federal parks that meet the needs of all park visitors, regardless of ability. The specific objectives of this study are to identify park accessibility standards that exist internationally, identify the accessibility challenges that people with disabilities face in park environments, and prioritize and recommend accessibility standards for national parks. MethodsA 3-phase approach will be used to achieve the study objectives. In the first phase, a scoping review of the existing accessibility standards will be conducted. The second phase will include objective audits of trails and features in 6 parks, 3 in western Canada and 3 in eastern Canada, as well as mobile interviews with 24 diverse participants in each region regarding their experiences of and recommendations for improving the park’s accessibility. In the final phase, a Delphi participatory consensus development process will be used, based on the data gathered in the first 2 phases, to prioritize recommendations for standards. ResultsWe expect to find gaps in existing standards that do not account for the diverse range of accessibility requirements that people with disabilities have for visiting parks. We also expect to find that existing standards, on their own, may not be enough to ensure equitable access to all the experiences and amenities that parks have to offer. Development of subsequent guidelines and best practices may be necessary to address complex scenarios for which standards may not be the best approach to ensuring accessibility. ConclusionsThe participatory and mixed methods approaches used in this study will provide rich insights for developing accessible park standards that consider the diverse needs of people with disabilities. The findings will also support the development or enhancement of park standards at all levels of government. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/33611

To create enabling environments for as many individuals as possible, including individuals with physical disabilities (IPD) who are more prone to encounter environmental barriers limiting their social participation, we need to examine current municipal practices related to accessibility. The objectives of this study were to describe existing practices for the design of accessible pedestrian infrastructures (API) for IPD living in Quebec (Canada), as well as to identify the perceived informational needs of the municipalities to design such infrastructures. A WEB survey was developed and validated by experts (i.e., municipal/provincial entities, IPD advocacy organisations, public transportation society, and researchers) and was sent to 507 municipalities. Descriptive statistics and recursive partitioning were performed, which allowed for the analyses of predictive variables using arborescence (e.g. the characteristics of the municipality that predict the implementation of various accessible design practices). A total of 186 respondents (representative of 184 of 507 municipalities) completed the survey (37%). Few municipalities have measures, resources and tools to ensure the design of API for IPD. However, many respondents perceived the need for such resources. The presence of an action plan for individuals with visual disabilities and their consultation, availability of human resources, and knowledge of tools for the design of API the implementation of other accessibility practices and should be targeted. Results of this study highlighted the need for conceptualization and implementation of guidelines to ensure API, and identified potential measures to improve practices that favor social participation of IPD.