Healthcare provider attitude towards persons with disabilities in Nigeria

This project investigated healthcare providers' attitudes towards persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria. The investigators utilised the Interaction with Disabled Persons (IDP) Scale to measure the attitudes of direct and indirect healthcare p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational public health journal Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 221 - 229
Main Authors Ajuwon, Paul M, Omotosho, Ishiaq O, Stallings, Rebecca Y
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Hauppauge Nova Science Publishers, Inc 01.04.2018
Subjects
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
AIDS
Attitudes
Demographics
Disabilities
Discomfort
Health care
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus
Legislation
Medical personnel
People with disabilities
Physicians
Training
Workers
Nigeria
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Summary:This project investigated healthcare providers' attitudes towards persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria. The investigators utilised the Interaction with Disabled Persons (IDP) Scale to measure the attitudes of direct and indirect healthcare providers at UCH. In all, 203 workers fully completed a questionnaire containing demographic and experiential questions and the IDP. Scores on three scale factors were analysed. The mean Discomfort score was lower for direct-versus indirect-care providers (t = -2.537; p = 0.012). A higher Discomfort score was associated with a lower level of confidence in treating PWDs (r = -0.221; p = 0.003). Similarly, a higher Information score was associated with lower confidence (r = -0.300; p < 0.001), a lower level of training on treating PWDs (r = -0.170; p = 0.018), and a lower knowledge of legislation and policies pertaining to PWDs (r = -0.180; p = 0.013). The mean cubed Vulnerability score was lower for healthcare providers reporting less confidence (t = -2.201; p = 0.029) and higher for older providers (t = 2.073; p = 0.039). Three-quarters of participants were direct-care providers, which is suggestive of physicians' willingness to deliver services to specialised populations. Recommendations are made to increase providers' confidence through in-service training, and to facilitate direct and indirect healthcare providers' organisational and individual capacities to sustain quality healthcare for PWDS.
ISSN:1947-4989
2374-1023