何欣. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 272-284) / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / He Xin.

Text in Afrikaans / Indigenous literature about the experience of a couple, where one of the spouses experiences a spinal cord injury, is scarce in the frame of social work. The experience of 5 couples (10 participants), after a spinal cord injury of one of the spouses was researched in this qualitative study. The aim of this research study is: • to reconnoiter participants’ experience of a spinal cord injury of a spouse, through semi-structured interviews with a purposeful chosen sample • to subject the research findings to a literature control • to make recommendations about how spouses can support each other, as well as how professional people can support client systems, where one of the spouses experience a spinal cord injury From the data it was determined that a spinal cord injury had significantly influenced the couples: - emotions - needs - perceptions (origination of experiences) Recommendations to couples as well as to professional people have been made. / Social Work / Thesis (M. Diac.)

South Africa is faced with a huge challenge of disability discrimination and inequality. Disabled people are not enjoying equal treatment as compared to others. Those who are on the working sector are not reasonable accommodated. The study examines challenges faced by people with disabilities. The study further submit that people with disabilities should be reasonably accommodated and be retained in the working sector as they have a positive role to play in the economy. The study also looks at the various legislations and argues that they are ineffective as they fail to address the imbalances of the past. The study further suggest that there is a need for all people to understand disabled people and not to isolate them as such stigma cause people with disabilities to be unfairly discriminated against in society and in employment / College of Law / L.L.M (Commercial Law)

Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Access to wheelchairs is considered a basic human right. Wheelchairs enhance function, improve independence, and enables persons with disabilities to successfully live in the community. An inappropriate wheelchair may however limit function rather than promote it. Achieving an ideal match between user and technology, however is challenging. A recent audit in the Eastern Cape revealed that standard folding frame type wheelchairs were predominantly being issued and waiting list for wheelchairs is long. The need for investigation into prescription practice, from the perspective of both prescribing therapists as well as wheelchair users, was identified. Aims: To describe wheelchair prescription practice in the public sector of the Eastern Cape; and to determine whether the wheelchairs being issued address the psychosocial needs of users. Study design: A descriptive mixed-method cross-sectional study design was used. Quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires and functional wheelchair skills tests of wheelchair users (Phase 1) and from semi-structured interviews with prescribing therapists (Phase 2) was used to describe prescription practice and investigate the psychosocial needs of wheelchair users. Methods: A small sample of convenienve according to home address was obtained that included 30 users (15 from a rural; 15 from a semi-rural setting). The Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) questionnaire, Functioning Everyday with a wheelchair (FEW/FMA) scale and a self-compiled wheelchair specifications checklist (WSC) were used to determine user functionality and level of satisfaction with the wheelchair. Purposive sampling was done to identify the therapists that had prescribed the wheelchairs for the participants in the first phase of the study. A semi- structured interview was used to determine prescription practice including perceived barriers of wheelchair prescription with ten prescribing therapists. Data analysis: Qualitative data was analysed deductively and frequency of responses tabulated. Quantitative data was summarised as means and standard deviations and subgroup analysis comparisons were done using the Chi-square test and relationships between variables investigated using Pearson/ Spearman correlation or ANOVA. A p < 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: Eighty three % of wheelchairs issued were urban wheelchairs. These are generally perceived by users as sufficient to address their psychosocial needs regarding mobility and transport, however, seem to fail users in terms of accessibility and independence within their rural/ semi- rural environment. According to the WSC scores, peri-urban wheelchairs were found to be more appropriate for the users than urban wheelchairs (p < 0.01). No significant relationships were found between wheelchair fit, use of a cushion, occurrence of pressure sores and self-perceived psychosocial needs in this sample. The users experienced most difficulty with outdoor mobility (57% needed full assistance) and transport (63% needed full assistance) within their current wheelchairs. Ten prescribing therapists participated in the study. Most valued appropriate seating, are knowledgeable regarding prescription practice, but reported several barriers to this practice including budget restraints (90%), time to delivery (100%) and lack of training (40%). The need for more appropriate wheelchair designs to suit multi- level manoeuvrability of persons in rural/ semi-rural environments was also reported (60%). Conclusion: The results of this study show that wheelchair prescription in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape (WRoEC) has various challenges. Although the wheelchair users were mostly satisfied with their wheelchairs, this study identified areas for improvement in the users’ functioning, postural support and biomechanics within their wheelchairs, especially as it relates to their home environment. There is scope for improvement of wheelchair delivery to persons in the WRoEC – from on-going training of therapists and clients to more appropriate wheelchair designs for persons in rural settings. Further research in this field is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Toegang tot rolstoele word as ‘n basiese mensereg geag. Rolstoele dra by tot verbeterde funksionaliteit, groter onafhanklikheid, en bemagtig mense met gestremdhede om suksesvol in die gemeenskap te lewe. Nietemin, ‘n onvanpaste rolstoel mag funksie beperk eerder as om dit te bevorder. Om die ideale pas tussen rolstoel gebruiker en tegnologie te vind is uitdagend.’n Onlangse oudit in die Oos- Kaap het getoon dat standaard vou-raam tipe rolstoele oorwegend uitgereik word, en dat die waglys vir rolstoele lank is. Die gaping vir verdere ondersoek rakende voorskrif praktyk, vanaf beide die perspektief van die terapeute wat voorskryf asook rolstoel gebruikers, is geidentifiseer. Doel: Om rolstoel voorskrif praktryk in die publieke sektor van die Oos- Kaap te beskryf; en om vas te stel of die rolstoele wat uitgereik word die psigososiale behoeftes van gebruikers addresseer. Studie Ontwerp: ‘n Beskrywende gemengde metode deursnee studie ontwerp is gebruik. Kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data van vraelyste en funksionele rolstoelvaardigheids toetse van rosltoel gebruikers (Fase 1) en van semi- gestruktureerde onderhoude met voorskrywende terapeute (Fase 2) is gebruik om voorskrif praktyk te beskryf en om die psigososiale behoeftes van gebruikers te ondersoek. Metodes: Dertig rolstoel gebruikers (15 van ‘n landelike; 15 van ‘n gedeeltelik- landelike opset) het deelgeneem in die studie. Die PIADS vraelys, “Functioning Everyday with a Wheelchair” (FMA/ FEW) skaal en ‘n self-opgestelde rolstoel spesifikasie kontrolelys (WSC) is gebruik om gebruiker funksionaliteit en tevredenheid met die rolstoel vas te stel. ‘n Semi- gestruktureerde onderhoud is gebruik om rolstoel voorskrifpraktyk insluitend persepsies van beperkinge tot die voorskrifte van rolstoele vas te stel onder tien terapeute. Dataverwerking: Kwalitatiewe data is deduktief geanaliseer en getal response is getabuleer. Kwantitatiewe data is opgesom as gemiddeldes en standaardafwykings en subgroep analise vergelyking is gedoen deur middel van die Chi- square toets. Verhoudings tussen veranderlikes is ondersoek deur middel van die Pearson/ Spearman korrelasie/ ANOVA. P < 0.05 is as statisties beduidend aanskou. Resultate: Drie-en-tagtig % van die uitgereikte rolstoele was landelike rolstoele. Hierdie stoele word oor die algemeen deur gebruikers ervaar as genoegsaam om hulle psigososiale behoeftes rakende vervoer en mobilitiet te bevredig, maar skiet nietemin tekort as dit kom by toeganklikheid en onafhanklikheid binne hulle landelike-/ semi- landelike omgewing. Volgens die WSC resultate, is die semi- landelike rolstoele meer toepaslik vir die gebruikers as die stedelike rolstoele. Geen merkwaardige verhoudings is gevind tussen rolstoel pas, gebruik van kussing, druksere en persepsie van psigososiale behoeftes nie. Die gebruikers het die meeste gesukkel met buitemuurse mobiliteit (57% het volle bystand benodig) en vervoer (63% het volle bystand benodig) in hulle huidige rolstoele. Tien terapeute het aan semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude deelgeneem. Daar is bevind dat hulle korrekte “seating” waardevol ag, kundig is rakende voorskrif praktyk, maar het talle beperkinge geidentifiseer in die praktyk insluitend: begrotings beperkings (90%), tyd tot aflewering (100%) en tekort aan opleiding in dié veld (40%). Die behoefte aan meer toepaslike rolstoel ontwerpe om multi- dimensionele beweeglikheid van persone in landelike/ semi- landelike omgewings te verseker, is ook vasgestel (60%). Gevolgtrekking: Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat die voorskryf van rolstoele in die Westelike streek van die Oos- Kaap (WSvOK) vele uitdagings het. Alhoewel die rolstoel gebruikers grotendeels tevrede was met hulle rolstoele, het hierdie studie areas vir verbetering geidentifiseer in die gebruikers se funksionaliteit, posturale ondersteuning en biomeganika in hulle rolstoele, veral soos dit van toepassing is op hulle tuis omgewing. Daar is ruimte vir verbetering vir rolstoel lewering aan persone in die WSvOK; vanaf deurlopende opleiding vir terapeute en gebruikers, tot meer toepaslike rolstoel ontwerpe vir persone in landelike gebiede. Verdere navorsing in dié veld word aanbeveel.

Thesis (MSc (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy. Centre for Rehabilitation Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Purpose To date no health policy analysis tool has been developed to analyse access and equity for people with disabilities. Further, there is very little information available on health and disability policy implementation. The intention of this research is to develop a health policy framework to analyse access and equity, focussing on people with disabilities, that can be used by policy makers. This research analyses four health policies and focuses on the facilitators and the implementation barriers. The findings of this research will impact on new policies developed in the future. Method The study included both a desk - top review and a descriptive study. The desk - top review entailed the formulation of a disability - focussed framework for health policy. This was then used to analyse health policies in terms of their disability inclusiveness. Qualitative data was gathered from interviews and questionnaires and focussed on policy processes and implementation. This was incorporated into the analysis. An ideal seven - step policy process model was developed. This was used to compare the reported policy process with the four policies followed. The four health policies used in the research are: the Primary Health Care Policy, the National Rehabilitation Policy, the Provision of Assistive Devices Guidelines and the Free Health Care Policy. Four key informants with extensive experience and knowledge were interviewed on policy processes and implementation. Questionnaires were also sent to Provincial Rehabilitation Managers to obtain their viewpoints on barriers and facilitators to policy implementation. Results Analysis of the four health policies showed varying levels of access and equity features. In terms of policy processes: all four policies had different stakeholders who initiated the policy development process. Two of the policies viz. the National Rehabilitation Policy and the Provision of Assistive Devices Guidelines, had people with disabilities as part of the stakeholder group involved in the policy formulation. The National Rehabilitation Policy had a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation section whereas this was absent in the other three policies. From the information gained from interviews and questionnaires, it appeared that the barriers to policy implementation included: attitudes, environmental access, human and financial resources. Facilitators to policy implementation include: policy process and design, availability of human and financial resources, support systems, management support, organisational structures and finally positive attitudes that all impacted favourably on policy implementation. Conclusions The developed health policy analysis framework served its purpose. Most policies did not have monitoring and evaluation guidelines that make implementation difficult to assess. Recommendations are made to improve policy design and content, specifically related to access and equity. Intersectoral collaboration and disability coordination needs to be improved. People with disabilities also need to engage with government departments, to monitor implemented policies and to advocate for change from outside the health system.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

This research investigated the availability and nature of the rehabilitation service at primary health care level rendered by rehabilitation staff in the Metropole district health services. The aim of the study was to determine the extent to which selected elements of the rehabilitation components of the primary health care service package are currently being implemented. In doing so, the study aimed to identify obstacles within the district management as perceived by rehabilitation therapists that hinder the implementation of the rehabilitation programme, so as to make recommendations for future planning.

This diploma thesis deals with the employment of disabled people in the Czech Republic. There is also a description of foreign systems of the employment of disabled people, concretely in the Federal Republic of Germany and in the United Kingdom. After the descriptive part of individual systems, there is their comparison and the choice of working elements from abroad which could improve the Czech system. Then, the thesis includes orientation questionnaire survey, which focuses on the level of foreknowledge and orientation of HR specialists in the area of the employment of disabled people in the Czech Republic.