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Factors related to environmental barriers experienced by persons with and without disabilities in diverse African settings
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 12, Iss 10, p e0186342 (2017)
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- This paper explores differences in experienced environmental barriers between individuals with and without disabilities and the impact of additional factors on experienced environmental barriers. Data was collected in 2011-2012 by means of a two-stage cluster sampling and comprised 400-500 households in different sites in South Africa, Sudan Malawi and Namibia. Data were collected through self-report survey questionnaires. In addition to descriptive statistics and simple statistical tests a structural equation model was developed and tested. The combined file comprised 9,307 participants. The Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors was used to assess the level of environmental barriers. Transportation, the natural environment and access to health care services created the biggest barriers. An exploratory factor analysis yielded support for a one component solution for environmental barriers. A scale was constructed by adding the items together and dividing by number of items, yielding a range from one to five with five representing the highest level of environmental barriers and one the lowest. An overall mean value of 1.51 was found. Persons with disabilities scored 1.66 and persons without disabilities 1.36 (F = 466.89, p < .001). Bivariate regression analyses revealed environmental barriers to be higher among rural respondents, increasing with age and severity of disability, and lower for those with a higher level of education and with better physical and mental health. Gender had an impact only among persons without disabilities, where women report more barriers than men. Structural equation model analysis showed that socioeconomic status was significantly and negatively associated with environmental barriers. Activity limitation is significantly associated with environmental barriers when controlling for a number of other individual characteristics. Reducing barriers for the general population would go some way to reduce the impact of these for persons with activity limitations, but additional and specific adaptations will be required to ensure an inclusive society.
- Subjects :
- Male
030506 rehabilitation
Malawi
Health Care Providers
lcsh:Medicine
Transportation
Health Services Accessibility
Geographical Locations
South Africa
0302 clinical medicine
Surveys and Questionnaires
Health care
Medicine and Health Sciences
Public and Occupational Health
030212 general & internal medicine
lcsh:Science
education.field_of_study
Multidisciplinary
Health services research
Age Factors
Middle Aged
Namibia
Exploratory factor analysis
Socioeconomic Aspects of Health
Engineering and Technology
Regression Analysis
Female
Health Services Research
0305 other medical science
Psychology
Research Article
Adult
Disabilities
Population
Structural equation modeling
03 medical and health sciences
Sex Factors
Environmental health
Humans
Disabled Persons
education
Socioeconomic status
Aged
Descriptive statistics
business.industry
lcsh:R
Models, Theoretical
Mental health
Health Care
People and Places
Africa
lcsh:Q
Self Report
business
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 12, Iss 10, p e0186342 (2017)
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....296f0cb697e05139fb636152850275c3