Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2999-01-01

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A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Epidemiology & Biostatistics Johannesburg, October 2014 / Introduction Disability is a major public health concern worldwide. The situation in Africa is serious. It is estimated that ten percent of the world’s population is living with a disability and close to two-thirds of all people with a disability live in low-income countries. The main objective of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of disability and disability grant allocation and to identify factors associated with disability within the Gauteng Province (2007). Materials and Methods An analytical cross-sectional study design was used to analyse secondary data from the 2007 South African survey data. The population of Gauteng was the focus of the study. The prevalence of disability in Gauteng was estimated. Chi-square test of proportions was used to analyse the distribution of social and demographic characteristics among participants. Poisson regression models were constructed to determine the association between disability and socio-demographics characteristics. Results Of a sample of 133 691 individuals in Gauteng Province, 4 492 (3.4%) reported being disabled, and of these, 2 333 (51,94%) were male and 2159 (48,06%) were female. The overall prevalence of disability or disability rate was 3.4%. Most of the disabled people were older individuals aged 40 to 64 years (51,51%), followed by those aged 18 to 39 years (33,17%); the rest were individuals aged over 64 years of age (retirement age category). Most of these disabled participants were black (77,8%), with whites contributing 15,69%. Almost half (42,72%) of the disabled participants were never married. More than half of the disabled participants (59,75%) had a high school level of education, followed by those with primary school as their level of education (25,31%). Almost 18% of the disabled people were employed and the remaining percentage was unemployed (82%). More than half of the disabled population in Gauteng resided in Johannesburg (34,93%) and Ekurhuleni (26,89%), followed by Tshwane (19.08%). There was a statistically difference in disability grant allocation between the disabled males (51,34%) and (48,66%) females. About 67,93% of the disability grant was given to the older working age category (40-64 years). More than 80% of the disability grants support was issued to the black population group. More than 45 % of the disability grants support issued was given to people who had never married. More than 80% of the disability grants issued was given to the non-economically active category of disabled people. More than 60% of the disability grants support went to those in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Variables associated with disability in Poisson regression analysis included the following: Female participants in the study showed a lower risk (40%) of disability compared to males, and this difference was statistically significant (IRR 0.6, CI 0.59-0.67, p= <0.001). The older working age category (39 to 64 years) (IRR2.9, CI 2.6-3.1, p=<0001) and retirement age category (65 years and above) (IRR 3.0, CI 2.5-3.5, p=<0.001) were respectively associated with a higher risk of disability. Coloured (IRR 1.37,CI 1.2-1.6, p <0.001) and white (IRR 1.41, CI 1.3-1.6, p<0.001) participants showed a 1.4 times greater risk of having disability compared to individuals of the black community, and these differences were statistically significant. While Indians (IRR 1.13, CI 0.9-1.4, p=0.247) had 1.1 times the risk of having disability compared to black participants but the difference was not statistically different. The risk of disability in individuals living in Tshwane (IRR 0.87,CI 0.80-0.95, p=0.001) and the West Rand (IRR 0.86,CI 0.75-0.99, p=0.037) districts was lower by 10% relative to individuals staying in the city of Johannesburg. This risk was relatively lower by 20% in Metsweding (IRR 0.77,CI 0.63-0.94, p=0.012) compared to Johannesburg. These differences were statistically significant. On the other hand, although not significant, the risk of disability was higher by 7% in Sedibeng district (IRR 1.07,CI 0.97-1.18, p=0.187). Participants in a traditional marriage (IRR 1.1, CI 0.97-1.24, p =0.14) and those who were polygamous (IRR 1.0, CI 0.33-3.21, p= 0.96) were not associated with disability compared to civil/ religiously married participants. Others categories of marital status included living together as married (IRR 1.2, CI 1.06-1.37, p=0.006); never married (IRR 1.6, CI 1.49-1.78, p< 0.001); widow/widower (IRR 1.4, CI 1.2-1.6, p <0.001); separated (IRR 1,6, CI1.34-2.08, p<0.001 and divorced (IRR 1.9,CI 1.65-2.24, p<0.001) were associated with disability and the observed differences were statistically significant. Those who had attended high school (IRR 0.48, CI 0.44-0.53, p <0.001) and those who had post matric studies (higher school)(IRR 0.34, CI 0.27-0.42, p< 0.001) were less associated with disability compared to those who only had a primary school level of education (IRR 0.8, CI 0.76-0.93, p = 0.001). Participants classified as not economically active were 7.5 times at risk of being disabled (IRR 7.5, CI6.95-8.19, p < 0.001). The observed difference was statistically significant. The least poor households were 0.7 times at risk of having a disabled member (IRR 0.7, CI 0.62-0.75, p <0.001) while the poor households had a 0.9 times the risk of having a family member with any disability (IRR 0.9, CI 0.81-0.94, p <0.001) - compared to most poor households, and the difference was statistically significant. Conclusion Gauteng showed a prevalence of individuals living with a disability in South Africa. In fact, it was found that the overall prevalence of disability in the Gauteng Province was 3,6%. During the same period Statistics South Africa estimated the whole county disability rate to be 4%. Statistically significant risk factors associated with disability in Gauteng included males aged 39 years and older; the coloured and white population group; living in the Sedibeng district; living together as married, never married, widower/widow, separated and divorced; not educated; not economically active; and most poor households. The spatial distribution of grant allocation was proportional to the disability burden per district as well as well as per local municipality, with a statistically significant relationship between disability burden and grants allocation. A higher proportion of males disabled received a grant compared to disabled females. Sedibeng district was highly associated with any disability, whilst Metsweding was the safest district.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 30-02, Section: A, page: 0845. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1968.

This study is primarily concerned with employers' reactions toward blacks and ex-mental patients who seek menial and unskilled jobs. Structural characteristics of black and white employment are examined. A number of studies on racial discrimination against blacks and discrimination against the mentally ill are reviewed. Then, an attempt is made to conceptualize employers' reactions within the context of the Labeling/Societal Reaction perspective. A major proposition of this perspective is that blacks and the mentally ill possess stigmas and that they are more likely than those without stigmas to be rejected by society. The following hypotheses were deduced from this proposition: (1) Employer reaction toward black job applicants will be more negative than employer reaction toward white job applicants; (2) Employer reaction toward job applicants with a psychiatric record will be more negative than employer reaction toward job applicants without a psychiatric record; (3) Older employers will be more likely than younger employers to reject job applicants with stigmatized statuses, and (4) The less educated will be more likely than the better educated to reject job applicants with stigmatized statuses. / Eight confederates (four black and four white) and a random sample of 80 employers were involved in the study. Both experimental and survey data were used to test the above hypotheses. Support was found for the mental illness hypothesis but not for the race hypothesis. Employer reaction was more negative toward job applicants with a record of mental illness than it was toward job applicants without a record. Race did not have a significant effect on employer reaction. The findings with regard to age and education were mixed. In some of the analyses, age and education supported the hypotheses regarding employer reaction toward the confederates, and in others age and education did not support the hypotheses. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-10, Section: A, page: 4513. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

The present study was concerned with examining the results of Florida's Use Law Program and applying these results to explore the relationship between law and social change. Five variables, which influence the results achieved by legislation passed for the purpose of creating social change, were identified and applied to Florida's Use Law Program. Six sheltered workshops that participated in Florida's Use Law Program served as the experimental group. Three sheltered workshops that did not participate in the program served as the comparison group. / In order to measure the results obtained by Florida's Use Law Program economic data were gathered for the experimental and comparison groups three years before and three years after the implementation of the program. The two-way analysis of variance was used to determine the extent of pre- post program differences. / Results revealed that there were no significant differences between the experimental and comparison groups on any of the economic measures tested. It was concluded that Florida's Use Law Program did not significantly improve the economic conditions in the participating sheltered workshops. / The results of the present study were used to make suggestions to law makers and those involved in implementing social change programs. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4615. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

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Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 40-06, Section: A, page: 3572. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1979.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 37-06, Section: A, page: 3949. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1976.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-09, Section: A, page: 5752. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.