Public perceptions of intellectual disability in a shantytown community in Lima, Peru

Abstract

Summary Disability is the result of interactions between biological and environmental factors including the physical, economic, and social barriers imposed on an individual by society. In low and middle-income countries, limited attention has been given to the situation of individuals with intellectual disabilities, who remain seriously neglected. Given the lack of resources available to address mental disorders, it is essential to examine the role of socioeconomic and socio-cultural factors in the lives of these individuals. We conducted interviews of key informants and community members in a shantytown community in Lima, Peru, to explore public knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes regarding intellectual disability. Findings indicated that the most important concern for community members was the longstanding issues associated with poverty. There was a profound lack of awareness of intellectual disability among the general population and an absence of social integration for these individuals. However, interviewees also recognized the productive potential of persons with intellectual disabilities provided they received currently inaccessible support services. The results suggest that educational efforts and intervention strategies must be mindful of the challenges of chronic poverty in order to successfully facilitate the social integration of individuals with intellectual disabilities into the community.

Parenting children with Down syndrome: Societal influences

“…Thus, in a poor district of Lima (Peru), a child with an intellectual disability coming from a respected family was more likely to be accepted in school and in the community than one from a less respected family. The authors note that their conclusions agree with those of a study in Mexico, where ‘a combination of insufficient family resources due to economic deprivation and social deprivation’ also exacerbated the social exclusion of people with intellectual disabilities ( O’Shea et al, 2012 , 257-258). The same norms, the same inequalities, will generally characterize health care providers’ behavior toward their patients.…”

“…Most published studies, conducted in rich industrialized countries, pay little attention to the characteristics of the society. Despite this dearth of evidence, it is likely that not only access to services but also social norms and values influence what adapting to parenting a child with an intellectual disability entails ( O’Shea et al, 2012 ). A society in which habits and customs reproduce inequalities, in which stigmatizing attitudes are common, exacerbates the difficulties for many families ( Lam and Mackenzie, 2002 ).…”

Factores asociados a la calidad de vida en personas con discapacidad intelectual

“…El costo de vida de las familias de las personas con discapacidad suele ser más alto, pues implica contar con menos oportunidades para elevar los ingresos; es por ello que la protección social del Estado es importante en estos grupos (Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia, 2013; Meral, Cavkaytar, Turnbull & Wang, 2013). Además, como algunos estudios sugieren, los estratos más pobres presentan, asimismo, carencia de conocimientos fiables acerca de lo que implica la discapacidad intelectual (O'Shea et al, 2012).…”

Komitmen Pengurus dalam Memajukan Organisasi Olahraga Special Olympic Indonesia

“…Orang-orang yang kurang memiliki pengetahuan tentang disabilitas menunjukkan sikap yang lebih negatif terhadap penyandang disabilitas intelektual. Salah satu rekomendasi utama dari laporan Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia baru-baru ini tentang disabilitas untuk meningkatkan partisipasi masyarakat penyandang disabilitas adalah dengan meningkatkan kesadaran dan pemahaman publik tentang disabilitas (O'Shea et al, 2012). Special Olympic adalah gerakan global orang-orang yang menciptakan dunia inklusi dan komunitas baru, di mana setiap orang diterima dan disambut, terlepas dari kemampuan atau kecacatannya.…”