scholarly journals Assistive Technology to Promote Participation in Sport for People with Disabilities

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Geppert ◽  
Emma M. Smith ◽  
Damian Haslett ◽  
Jennie Wong ◽  
Ikenna D. Ebuenyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The World ◽  
Qualitative Responses

Abstract Participation in sports is a fundamental right for persons with disabilities and is facilitated by the use of specialized Assistive Technology (AT). However, little is known about the role every-day AT plays in promoting sport participation. This study explores how the 50 priority assistive products on the World Health Organization’s Assistive Products List can promote participation in sports, using a mixed-methods online survey with AT users, caregivers, and coaches (n=96). We used a thematic analysis for qualitative responses describing the use of assistive products in facilitating sport participation. Results suggest every-day assistive products are required for participation in sport for persons with disabilities. We present a conceptual model of assistive product use for sport participation. We found persons with disability participate in a range of sports, contributing to community engagement. Access to every-day assistive products is therefore integral to achieving rights of persons with disabilities for participation in sport.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Survey of Mental Health Social Work in Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10462
Author(s):  
Kevin Stone ◽  
Pearse McCusker ◽  
Gavin Davidson ◽  
Sarah Vicary
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
World Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Exploratory Survey ◽  
Similarities And Differences

This article reports on an exploratory study comparing mental health social work (MHSW) in Europe. There has been very limited previous research comparing approaches to MHSW in Europe and so the aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of the similarities and differences between and, where relevant, within countries (referred to as jurisdictions). An online survey was distributed mainly through existing European networks and social media to seek information on the role, nature, extent and context of MHSW in a range of European jurisdictions. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 158 responses from 10 jurisdictions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. From this analysis, four main themes were identified, relating to: role; law, policy and education; the distinctive contribution made by MHSW; and the key challenges for MHSW. The study demonstrates that MHSW, although it is described and provided in different ways and is confined by a range of factors, plays an important role in mental health services across jurisdictions. There are also interesting differences between contexts, especially in the balance of therapeutic, legal and specialist/generic approaches, some of which reflect the World Health Organisation’s vision and objectives for mental health. Lastly, the study illustrates a need and provides a valuable basis for further comparative and collaborative work to define MHSW and enhance the contributions it makes.

scholarly journals “Give Us the Chance to Be Part of You, We Want Our Voices to Be Heard”: Assistive Technology as a Mediator of Participation in (Formal and Informal) Citizenship Activities for Persons with Disabilities Who Are Slum Dwellers in Freetown, Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5547
Author(s):  
Victoria Austin ◽  
Cathy Holloway ◽  
Ignacia Ossul Vermehren ◽  
Abs Dumbuya ◽  
Giulia Barbareschi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Sierra Leone ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Capacity Assessment ◽  
Informal Markets ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Deep Dive ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Slum Dwellers

The importance of assistive technology (AT) is gaining recognition, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) set to publish a Global Report in 2022. Yet little is understood about access for the poorest, or the potential of AT to enable this group to participate in the activities of citizenship; both formal and informal. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore AT as mediator of participation in citizenship for persons with disabilities who live in two informal settlements in Freetown, Sierra Leone (SL). The paper presents evidence from 16 participant and 5 stakeholder interviews; 5 focus groups and 4 events; combining this with the findings of a house-to-house AT survey; and two national studies—a country capacity assessment and an informal markets deep-dive. Despite citizenship activities being valued, a lack of AT was consistently reported and hindered participation. Stigma was also found to be a major barrier. AT access for the poorest must be addressed if citizenship participation for persons with disabilities is a genuine global intention and disability justice is to become a reality.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown Measures on Quality of Life among Italian General Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Stella Epifanio ◽  
Federica Andrei ◽  
Giacomo Mancini ◽  
Francesca Agostini ◽  
Marco Andrea Piombo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
World Health Organization Quality ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world in the year 2020 has put a strain on our ability to cope with events and revolutionized our daily habits. On 9 March, Italy was forced to lockdown to prevent the spread of the infection, with measures including the mandatory closure of schools and nonessential activities, travel restrictions, and the obligation to spend entire weeks in the same physical space. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on quality of life (QoL) in a large Italian sample, in order to investigate possible differences in QoL levels related to both demographic and pandemic-specific variables. A total of 2251 Italian adults (1665 women, mainly young and middle adults) were recruited via a snowball sampling strategy. Participants were requested to answer to an online survey, which included demographic and COVID-related information items, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The results showed statistically significant differences in QoL depending on a number of variables, including sex, area of residence in Italy, and being diagnosed with a medical/psychiatric condition. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess QoL during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, therefore the present findings can offer guidelines regarding which social groups are more vulnerable of a decline in QoL and would benefit of psychological interventions.

scholarly journals Deafening silence on a vital issue: The World Health Organization has ignored the sexuality of persons with disabilities

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Peta
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Priority ◽  
Social Welfare System ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

In 2016, the World Health Organization, through the Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology Initiative, issued the Priority Assistive Products List which is meant to be a guide to member states of the 50 assistive products needed for a basic health care and/or social welfare system; it is also a model from which nations can develop their national priority assistive products lists. The aim of this opinion paper is to share my views about the Priority Assistive Products List on the grounds that it makes no distinct mention of sexual assistive devices, yet research has indicated that sexuality is an area of great concern for persons with disabilities. In any case, sexuality forms a core part of being human, and it impacts on both the physical and mental well-being of all human beings. I conclude in part that, in its present format, the list perpetuates the myth that persons with disabilities are asexual beings who are innocent of sexual thoughts, feelings and experiences. The list also propagates the stereotype that sexuality is a sacred, private, bedroom matter that should be kept out of the public domain, to the detriment of the health and well-being of persons with disabilities.

scholarly journals Practices suggested in social media for birth plans

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victória Prates Pasqualotto ◽  
Mariene Jaeger Riffel ◽  
Virgínia Leismann Moretto
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Production Of Knowledge ◽  
The World ◽  
Means Of Transmission ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
E Mail

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe and analyze the practices suggested in social media for the elaboration of Birth Plans, available on Blogs/Sites and not included in the WHO recommendations. Method: Qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study with thematic analysis. A total of 41 e-mail addresses were selected for analysis among the 200 web addresses previously identified between March and July 2016. Three web addresses were in Portugal and the others in Brazil. Results: 48 practices not included in the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) were identified. Conclusion: Blogs/Websites, as means of transmission, circulation and production of knowledge, enable the horizontal expression of values, encourage women to plan the events considered important for their deliveries and put childbirth decisions on the hands of women, which has caused controversy in the discourse of humanization of childbirth.

scholarly journals A mixed-method exploration into the experience of members of the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN): study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e027091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Joseph Savelli ◽  
Céu Mateus
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Global Network ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Medicine Research ◽  
The World

IntroductionThe International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) is a global network of national food safety authorities from 188 countries, managed jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which facilitates the rapid exchange of information during food safety related events. The proposed research will interrogate INFOSAN in order to describe and explore the experiences of members and better understand the role of the network in mitigating the burden of foodborne illness around the world.MethodsExamined through a community of practice lens, a three-phase research design will combine quantitative and qualitative methods (including website analytics in phase 1, online survey administration in phase 2 and semistructured interviews in phase 3) to elicit a broad and deep understanding of the network operation and member experiences.AnalysisIn phases 1 and 2, quantitative data collected from the INFOSAN Community website and the online questionnaires will be analysed using descriptive summary statistics. In phase 3, interpretative phenomenological analysis will be used to engage in a dialogue with study participants to explore and describe their lived experiences regarding participation in activities related to INFOSAN. An important aspect of the overall analysis will be triangulation of the information collected from each phase, including quantitative indicators and qualitative value stories, in order to provide a robust understanding of member experience.Ethics and disseminationThis study has undergone ethical review and has received approval from Lancaster University’s Faculty of Health and Medicine Research Ethics Committee, as well as the ethics review committee of the WHO. Findings from the study will be disseminated as a PhD thesis submitted to Lancaster University. In addition, results of the research shall be submitted for publication to relevant academic or professional conferences and journals or other media, including books or websites.

scholarly journals Protecting Rights and Building Capacities: Challenges to Global Mental Health Policy in Light of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Wildeman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
International Development ◽  
Global Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Disabled Persons ◽  
World Health ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) has in the last decade identified mental health as a priority for global health promotion and international development, to be targeted through promulgation of evidence-based medical practices, health systems reform, and respect for human rights. Yet these overlapping strategies are marked by tensions as the historical primacy of expert-led initiatives is increasingly subject to challenge by new social movements — in particular, disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs). These tensions come into focus upon situating the WHO’s contributions to the analysis of global mental health in light of the negotiation and early stages of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly as it applies to persons with mental disabilities.

scholarly journals Willingness of Nigerian residents to disclose COVID-19 symptoms and take COVID-19 test

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Oladoyin ◽  
Oluyemi Okunlola ◽  
Oluwaseyi Israel ◽  
Demilade Ibirongbe ◽  
Joy Osifo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Predicting Factors ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Willingness To Disclose ◽  
The World ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractBackgroundAn understanding of willingness of people to disclose coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and take the COVID-19 test will help provide important insight for motivators towards the self-surveillance and testing strategies recommended by the World Health Organization to curtail and halt the transmission of COVID-19.ObjectivesThis study assessed willingness to disclose symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and willingness to take COVID-19 test as well as their predictors.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey of 524 Nigerian adults, aged ≥ 18 years, residing in Nigeria and who had not taken the COVID-19 test was conducted. Information on willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms, take COVID-19 test and possible predictors were collected. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics evaluated at 5% significance level.ResultsMean age of respondents was 35.8 ± 10.7 years and 57.0% were males. Majority (85.8% and 86.2% respectively) were willing to disclose COVID-19 symptoms and take COVID-19 test. Self-risk perception of contracting COVID-19 predicted both willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms (aOR=3.236; 95%CI=1.836-5.704) and take COVID-19 test (aOR=3.174; 95%CI=1.570-6.419). Willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms (aOR=13.060; 95%CI= 6.253-27.276), knowledge of someone who had taken the test (aOR= 4.106; 95%CI= 1.179-14.299) and thought that it was important for people to know their COVID-19 status (aOR=3.123; 95%CI= 1.516-6.434) also predicted willingness to take COVID-19 test.ConclusionNigerians are willing to disclose symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and take the COVID-19 test. Investment in interventions developed based on the predicting factors will help speed up the finding and testing of suspected COVID-19 cases.

scholarly journals Qualitative analysis of first-person accounts of noetic experiences

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Helané Wahbeh ◽  
Nina Fry ◽  
Paolo Speirn ◽  
Lutvija Hrnjic ◽  
Emma Ancel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Inner Voice ◽  
The World ◽  
Cultural Taboos ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Types Of Information

The term “noetic” comes from the Greek word noēsis/noētikos that means inner wisdom, direct knowing, intuition, or implicit understanding. Strong cultural taboos exist about sharing these experiences. Thus, many may not feel comfortable transparently discussing or researching these topics, despite growing evidence that these experiences may be real. The study’s objective was to qualitatively evaluate first-hand accounts of noetic experiences. 521 English-speaking adults from around the world completed an online survey that collected demographic data and four open-ended questions about noetic experiences. Thematic analysis was used to characterize the data. The ten most used codes were expressing to or sharing with others, impacting decision-making, intuition/”just knowing,” meditation/hypnosis, inner visions, setting intentions/getting into the “state,” healing others, writing for self, and inner voice. There were five main themes identified: 1. Ways of Engagement; 2. Ways of Knowing; 3. Types of Information; 4. Ways of Affecting; and 5. Ways of Expressing. Subthemes. Future research will include investigating the nuances of these themes and also establishing standardized methods for evaluating them. This would also then inform curricula and therapies to support people in these experiences.

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