Journal of Preventive Medicine

People's Perception towards Persons with Disabilities (PwDs): A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Multiple facets identified over the course of time understand factors that affect the non-differently-abled population’s perceptions towards people living with disabilities (PwDs). We aimed to find out the general attitudes of today have functionally privileged section of society and if they changed with time. We hypothesized that with age, higher education and professions that had close exposure with the PwDs, there would be more positive attitudes towards PwDs

Methodology

A randomized cross-sectional based study was conducted using Multidimensional Attitudes Scale (MAS) distributed to 657 people with no disabilities in the form of an online questionnaire.

Variables measured against attitudes were-prior exposure to PwDs, Age, Gender, Education, and Occupation.

The data was analyzed according to the three components of attitude: Affect behaviour and cognition to find a correlation

Results

Behaviour consistently showed a significant across all variables.

Exposure to PwDs forms the most significant correlation in determining a person’s attitude (pP value=0.0478 seen between negative attitude and exposure. Among the people with prior exposure, 48% showed positive traits of attitude compared to only 33% for people without prior exposure.

The mean positive affect, behaviour and cognition are highest among healthcare professionals

Conclusion

Our results lay emphasis on how greater exposure to PwDs can facilitate formation of positive attitudes. This is imperative for our progression as humanity since each member of our society deserves to live with dignity and purpose

Author(s): Tilak TVSVGK

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share this