Search Results (477)

This study examines how Ontario’s Health and Physical Education curriculum addresses the needs of young adults with disabilities. A total of 54 individuals aged 18–35 years old with developmental, learning, or physical disabilities who had completed secondary school in Ontario participated in a cross-sectional mixed-methods survey. Participants were recruited through disability-focused community networks and a university psychology participant pool. They completed the Sex Education subscale of the Sexual Knowledge, Experience, Feelings and Needs Scale, a 35-item sexual knowledge questionnaire, and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests; qualitative responses were examined using thematic analysis. Participants reported limited factual knowledge, minimal classroom representation, and heavy reliance on independent learning. Barriers included inaccessible materials, teacher discomfort, and the absence of disability narratives in sexuality units. Findings point to three priorities: revising curriculum content, expanding educator training, and creating disability-affirming resources. These measures will help ensure comprehensive and rights-based sexuality education that supports the autonomy and well-being of students with disabilities. Full article

Background/Objectives: Agricultural workers in Spain with a migratory background face challenging working and living conditions that significantly affect their health. This study aimed to explore how professionals in healthcare, social services, civil society organisations, and labour institutions perceive that the working conditions affect the physical health of this population. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through 92 semi-structured interviews with professionals from six provinces in Spain. Data were analysed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Rigour was ensured through triangulation, independent coding, and interdisciplinary consensus. Results: Two overarching themes were identified: (1) the health consequences of workplace demands and environmental hazards, and (2) navigating health services such as sick leave and disability permits. These findings highlight how the impact of precarious working conditions and limited access to healthcare affect the physical health of migrant agricultural workers. Conclusions: The professionals interviewed described and relate precarious working conditions with adverse health outcomes among migrant agricultural workers. Their insights reveal the need for systemic reforms to enforce labour rights, ensure access to health services, and address the structural factors that contribute to exclusion and vulnerability. Full article

Persons with disabilities face barriers to accessing sexuality education. For those who identify as queer, these challenges are compounded by stigma, ableism, and heteronormativity, resulting in distinct and overlooked experiences. This study explored the sexuality education needs of persons with disabilities who identify as queer in Kenya—a neglected demographic—using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through a focus group discussion with six participants and analyzed thematically. Three themes emerged: invisibility and erasure; unprepared institutions and constrained support networks; and agency and everyday resistance. Educational institutions often overlook the intersectional needs of persons with disabilities who identify as queer, leaving them without adequate tools to navigate relationships, sexuality, and rights. Support systems are often unprepared or unwilling to address these needs. Societal attitudes that desexualize disability and marginalize queerness intersect to produce compounded exclusion. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated agency by using digital spaces and informal networks to resist exclusion. This calls for policy reforms that move beyond tokenism to address the lived realities of multiply marginalized groups. Policy reform means not only a legal or governmental shift but also a broader cultural and institutional process that creates space for recognition, protection, and participation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Left/right discrimination (LRD) training is increasingly being used in the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, it is unclear whether trunk LRD-performance is impaired in CLBP patients and whether clinical parameters are related to LRD-performance. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to examine (1) whether LRD-performance differs between CLBP patients and pain-free individuals; (2) whether these differences depend on the low back pain (LBP) history in pain-free individuals; (3) if clinical factors are related to LRD-performance; (4) whether LRD-task difficulty influences these results. Methods: Participants included 150 pain-free persons (107 with no LBP-history; 43 with past LBP) and 150 patients with CLBP. All participants performed the LRD-task in a simple and complex condition. Outcomes were reaction time and accuracy. Results: CLBP patients were significantly slower (Cohen’s d = 0.47 to 0.50, p < 0.001) and less accurate (Cohen’s d = 0.30 to 0.55, p < 0.001) than pain-free individuals without LBP-history, but not compared to those with past LBP (Cohen’s d reaction time = 0.07 to 0.15, p = 0.55; Cohen’s d accuracy = 0.03 to 0.28, p-value = 0.28). All participant groups were slower and less accurate in the complex condition, but between-groups differences were independent of task difficulty. Linear mixed models showed that older age and lower education were independently associated with less accuracy. When controlling for demographics, pain intensity, disability, fear of movement, pain-related worry and pain duration were not related to LRD-performance in patients with CLBP. Conclusions: Patients with CLBP showed impaired trunk LRD-performance compared to pain-free persons without LBP history, but not compared to those with past LBP. When controlling for demographics, clinical parameters were not related to LRD-performance in patients with CLBP. Our findings indicate that LRD-performance may remain impaired after recovering from LBP. Full article

Inclusive education emphasizes the right of all students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), to access equitable learning opportunities in mainstream classrooms. This study presents the implementation and evaluation of a school-based intervention within the BATTIE (Bottleneck Analysis and Teacher Trainings for Inclusive Education) project in Greece, aiming to enhance inclusion through differentiated instruction (DI) and a whole school approach. The intervention was conducted across 26 schools and involved 116 educators and 130 students with SEND. A qualitative methodology was employed, utilizing structured classroom observations, field notes, and semi-structured interviews with teachers. The data were thematically analyzed using NVivo 11. Findings indicated notable improvements in student engagement, academic participation, and classroom collaboration, especially among students with SEND. Teachers reported enhanced professional confidence, better understanding of inclusive strategies, and improved collaboration with special education staff. However, limitations in interdisciplinary cooperation—particularly with school psychologists—were identified. This study concludes that sustained professional development, school-wide collaboration, and differentiated instruction are essential for fostering inclusive practices. It underscores the potential of structured, whole school interventions to improve learning environments for diverse student populations and provides insights for educational policy and practice reform. Full article

Disability Certification is an instrument that can contribute to the identification of persons with disabilities who are potential beneficiaries of social protection programmes. In Colombia, the disability certification process was changed in 2020 to include a human rights perspective. However, little information exists on how far the process aligns with the recommendations made by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or to what extent it provides useful information for the operation of the country’s social protection system. This study aims to analyse how the changes implemented in 2020 have contributed to the identification and determination of persons with disabilities in social protection programmes in Colombia. This research uses an analytical-descriptive design, in which legal documents related to the social protection programme and disability certification were analysed. In addition, we conducted semi-structured interviews in Colombia with people with disabilities, professionals conducting the certification, and with key stakeholders, and we analysed the information using thematic analysis. Colombia changed its certification process in 2020, moving from a capacity-to-work assessment to a process of assessing functioning capacity and participation limitations following the International Classification of Functional Disability and Health. However, the new certification process has not provided an instrument to contribute to determining persons with disabilities who should be prioritised or receive social benefits in Colombia. The certification does not establish the support needs of people with disabilities, does not recommend reasonable adjustments to support their participation in society, and has not been used systematically in social protection programmes. Finally, individuals with disabilities commented that the disability certification is a process that does not open up opportunities to receive social benefits and social transfers, and in most cases, it is an expensive and lengthy process. Disability certification in Colombia is not an instrument that determines the needs of people with disabilities, nor the reasonable accommodations that they require in order to participate in society. Full article

This article examines the accessibility of public space for individuals with disabilities in the Netherlands, as well as the relevant legal frameworks intended to promote accessibility. It discusses the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and efforts to implement its provisions at the local level. The article first provides an overview of Dutch legislation and regulations concerning accessibility in public spaces. It then presents an analysis of the experiences of individuals with disabilities in navigating streets and pavements in two Dutch cities, Utrecht and Almere. The central question is to what extent equal participation in public space has been realised. The findings indicate that national legislation remains inadequate in addressing the accessibility of streets and pavements. Despite the constitutional amendment in January 2023, which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of disability, substantive equality is largely dependent on the individual policies and bylaws of the 342 municipalities. The involvement of individuals with disabilities in shaping the inclusive use of public space is therefore crucial at the local level. This article highlights local initiatives that have successfully drawn the attention of municipal policymakers and civil servants to the importance of accessible streets. Full article

Over the past decade, a growing body of evidence has highlighted the positive impact of full and equal participation in sport on the quality of life (QoL) of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). However, access to mainstream sports remains limited due to persistent barriers, which leads to low participation levels among people with IDs. In this context, the Mixed Ability (MA) model offers an innovative approach by promoting the inclusion of people with and without disabilities in the same mainstream teams, without classification processes or modifications to the rules of the sport. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between rugby MA and the QoL and the needs of players with IDs. Using a convergent mixed methods design, the quantitative aspect involved 46 participants aged 18–57, engaged in eight different rugby teams, while the qualitative component included a focus group with four ID players from a rugby team. The findings revealed a positive correlation between higher QoL and the duration of participation in mainstream sports among the participants. Furthermore, a positive trend was also observed among individuals with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities. Qualitatively, participants highlighted the model’s emphasis on inclusivity, familial bonds, enjoyment, community spirit, active engagement, and opportunities to experience new activities. The shift towards inclusion requires modifying the community so that every person has opportunities to lead a valuable, meaningful, and self-determined life. In this sense, the MA sports model emerges as a potent instrument for fostering inclusive communities and enhancing the QoL of people with IDs. Full article

Background: The provision of education, health, and social care for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in England has long been criticised for its inequities and chronic underfunding. These systemic issues were further exacerbated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying restrictions, which disrupted essential services and resulted in widespread unmet needs and infringements on the rights of many children with SEND. This study aimed to use a three-phase consensus-building approach with 1353 participants across five stakeholder groups to collaboratively develop evidence-informed priorities for policy and practice. The priorities sought to help address the longstanding disparities and respond to the intensified challenges brought about by the pandemic. Methods: A total of 55 children with SEND (aged 5–16), 893 parents/carers, and 307 professionals working in SEND-related services participated in the first phase through online surveys. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with four children and young people, ten parents/carers, and 15 professionals, allowing for deeper exploration of lived experiences and priorities. The data were analysed, synthesised, and structured into five overarching areas of priority. These were subsequently discussed and refined in a series of activity-based group workshops involving 20 children with SEND, 11 parents/carers, and 38 professionals. Results and Conclusions: The consensus-building process led to the identification of key priorities for both pandemic response and longer-term recovery, highlighting the responsibilities of central Government and statutory services to consider and meet the needs of children with SEND. These priorities are framed within a children’s rights context and considered against the rights and duties set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). Priorities include protecting and promoting children with SEND’s rights to (1) play, socialise, and be part of a community, (2) receive support for their social and emotional wellbeing and mental health, (3) feel safe, belong, and learn in school, (4) “access health and social care services and therapies”, and (5) receive support for their parents/carers and families. Together, they highlight the urgent need for structural reform to ensure that children with SEND receive the support they are entitled to—not only in times of crisis but as a matter of routine practice and policy. Full article

Physical accessibility is a human right constituted in legal regulations, which mandates guaranteeing inclusive and equitable spaces in higher education, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, especially with goal 4, which guarantees inclusive and equitable quality education, goal 10, which aims to reduce inequalities by promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities, and goal 11 which seeks to create sustainable and accessible environments. University centers must adhere to the strict principles of universal accessibility to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and use their facilities independently and safely. In this context, the objective of this article is to evaluate the physical accessibility of an Ecuadorian university’s campus, identifying barriers that limit the full inclusion of university students with disabilities. For this purpose, an ad hoc instrument was applied based on the guidelines of national and international regulations on accessibility. The evaluation was conducted in one of the buildings with the highest student concentrations in Quito, Ecuador. It is concluded that the campus has made significant progress in implementing accessibility, although it is necessary to make important changes, as almost half of the evaluated elements are barely accessible. Full article

Background/Objectives: Children at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels IV and V experience severe motor impairments, yet the effects of passive wheelchair rides on their physiological parameters remain unexplored. This study aimed to examine the acute physiological response to passive bike in non-ambulant children with physical disabilities. Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 24 non-ambulant participants with cognitive impairments (6–21 years old, 50% female). After a 10-min rest, participants underwent a 10-min passive wheelchair bike. Muscle activity, oxygen consumption, and heart rate variability were assessed. Results: Passive bike rides significantly increased muscle activity in the right upper (p = 0.050), left upper (p = 0.008), and left lower trapezius (p = 0.038), with increases of 97–112%. However, no significant changes were observed in oxygen consumption or cardiorespiratory parameters. Conclusions: This study suggests that passive wheelchair bike rides increase trapezius muscle activity in children with severe disabilities at GMFCS levels IV and V, offering potential benefits for this population. Full article

While studies consistently show that the popular media often provide medicalized images of disabled people as “other” or inferior, dynamic societal changes, such as the diffusion of human rights laws, increasing public awareness, and the mediatization of disability activism, also influence media representations. The present research aims to identify relevant discursive practices in Hungarian online news media, a non-Western European country with about 50 years of a state party system under communism, and offer insight into how progressive policy changes and mediatized activism shape media features on disability. To establish the dataset, the most visited and independent online news media portal in Hungary (24.hu) was searched for articles discussing disability between 2019 and 2022. The 481 relevant articles extracted were analyzed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) with the help of MAXQDA 2020. The findings reveal a multiplicity of disability representations: medicalized and victimized images on the one hand, and reports of resilience and “heroism” on the other. Three distinct discursive practices are identified: (1) traditional/ableist representations, (2) alternative representations with ableist framing, and (3) agency and the co-creation of disability representations. Results suggest that even 30 years after the political changes, disabled people’s collective agency is marginal in Hungary, and that socio-legal changes and mediatized disability activism are yet to influence news media features. Full article

Introduction: Spinal thrust manipulation has been found useful for improving pain and mobility in musculoskeletal conditions of the thoracic spine. This case report highlights the importance of incorporating high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) thrust manipulation to the mid-thoracic rib articulations in a patient experiencing thoracic spine pain associated with an acute onset of osteomyelitis at levels T7–T9. Detailed Case Description: A 49-year-old female who was recovering from osteomyelitis of the thoracic spine 4 months prior was referred to physical therapy by her neurosurgeon. Her osteomyelitis infection resulted in a bone-on-bone interaction between T7 and T9, resulting in significant thoracic spine pain. Severe restrictions in active range of motion (AROM) were found in extension and right and left rotation. At initial evaluation, the patient’s pain intensity score was 8/10 (NPRS, 0–10), the disability score was 46/50 (NDI, 0–50), and the patient-specific functional scale score was 3/10 (PSFS, 0–10). Initially, interventions included grades I-IV posterior to anterior (PA) mobilizations of the thoracic spine from levels T2 to T9, mobilization with movement of the thoracic spine for extension and rotation bilaterally, scapular stabilization, and thoracic mobility exercises. Treatment progressed to HVLA thrust manipulation techniques targeting the costotransverse articulations of ribs 2–9. Discussion: Following the initial eight treatment sessions over 4 weeks, minimal improvement was observed for pain (NPRS from 8/10 to 6/10), disability (NDI from 46/50 to 34/50), and thoracic extension AROM (13°). However, during visits 9–16, the addition of HVLA thrust manipulation targeting the costotransverse articulations resulted in significant improvements in pain, disability, and AROM. The patient was subsequently discharged after 16 visits and able to return to a full workday as a teacher without any thoracic pain or ROM restrictions. At the 6-month follow-up, the patient outcomes remained, and she was working with no restrictions. Conclusion: The addition of HVLA thrust manipulation targeting the mid-thoracic rib articulations to a program of non-thrust mobilization and exercise appeared useful for improving pain, disability, and range of motion in a patient recovering from osteomyelitis of the thoracic spine. Full article

Peripheral nerve injuries, caused by trauma or iatrogenic damage, often lead to permanent disabilities with limited effectiveness of current therapeutic treatments. This has driven the growing interest toward natural bioactive molecules, including ursolic acid (UA). Literature studies have shown that white grape pomace oleolyte (WGPO), a natural source of UA, is a promising candidate for promoting peripheral nerve regeneration. Considering that many neurological injuries involve compression or partial damage, the present study examined the effects of WGPO on peripheral neuropathy using a neuropathic pain mouse model. Briefly, 14 days after starting the WGPO-enriched diet, mice underwent cuffing of the right sciatic nerve to induce nerve injury and inflammation. At sacrifice, the WGPO-fed mice exhibited reduced muscle atrophy, as indicated by a greater number and larger diameter of muscle fibers, along with decreased expression of Atrogin-1 and Murf-1, compared with the injured control-diet group. To determine the functional impact of the WGPO treatment, the WGPO-supplemented group was compared with a control group receiving only sunflower oil, evaluating exercise performance post-cuffing via a treadmill test. Mice on the WGPO diet exhibited improved physical performance and a significantly lower expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins than controls. Our findings suggest WGPO as a promising candidate for managing peripheral neuropathy and related muscular impairments. Full article

Background/Objectives: The perspective from which future healthcare professionals view intellectual disabilities affects how people with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs) are perceived and informs care policies and practices. This study aimed to assess healthcare science students’ perceptions of the rights of PWIDs, the students’ social distances toward PWIDs in healthcare, and the students’ competence in providing care, exploring differences by study programs and demographics and examining correlations between them. Methods: The convenience sample comprised 221 medical and 120 nursing students. A general questionnaire for obtaining sociodemographic data, the scale of beliefs about the rights of PWIDs in healthcare (BS), the scale of social distance toward PWIDs (SD), and the “self-assessment of competency (CS) to provide care for PWIDs” scale were used as students’ report measures. Results: The students’ scores on the BS, SD, and CS scales revealed that they generally recognized the rights of PWIDs in healthcare but expressed a moderate level of social distance and limited self-perceived competence in providing care. Medical students demonstrated slightly more progressive beliefs regarding the rights of PWIDs than nursing students (r = 0.12), while nursing students reported higher self-assessed competence levels (r = 0.19). A small gender-related difference was observed in social distance, with female students showing more favorable attitudes. Significant positive correlations were found between beliefs about the rights of PWIDs and social distance (p = 0.435; p < 0.01) and between social distance and self-assessed competence (p = 0.234, p < 0.01), suggesting that students who felt more competent tended to report less social distance. Conclusions: This study provides new data for understanding healthcare science students’ perceptions and readiness to care for PWIDs in the healthcare sector in Serbia. Namely, our students had moderately positive beliefs and a moderate social distance toward PWIDs and reported low competence in providing care. Full article