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This paper attempts to discuss findings from an exploratory study in respect to the situation of disability research discourse in the Republic of the Philippines. We disseminate qualitative surveys to three key informants in The Philippines that we choose purposively. The three informants consist of a person with visual impairment, a person with speech impairment, and a person with mobility impairment. Responses from our informants reveal there exists a priority gap on disability research production between different stakeholders. We also learn that disability research produces benefits both in micro and macro contexts. Informants also claim to face barriers in accessing local disability research. Concerns are also being made in regards to emancipatory impact of local disability research as well as for competency and commitment by local researchers. We conclude this paper by stressing the importance of disability studies scholarship development in Southeast Asian region and aggressive effort is needed to merge the academic, political and public spheres to empower the disabled community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses changes which have been seen in adapted physical activity programs for people with disabilities and the Special Olympics program as a result of contributions from socialite and disabilities advocate Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died on August 11, 2009. A discussion of research which evaluated the impact that physical fitness had on people with disabilities is presented. In the article the author offers his opinion on Shriver's contributions and on the role that professionals involved within the adapted physical activity field can play in helping people with disabilities.

This study, with a top T-52 class athlete, determines the relationship between stroke frequency (SF) and push time (PT) and wheelchair velocity (Wv) using different handrim diameters (HD) and the effect of different HDs on the athlete's heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (LACT) at competition speeds. Wv shows a linear-direct relationship with SF but a linear-inverse relationship with PT (p < .001 in both cases). Using bigger handrims (0.37 m instead of 0.36 m), SF increases 6%, while PT decreases 27% (at 24 Km·h-1). HR (p < .0001) increases with Wv and is also affected by HD with differences between the 0.34 m—0.36 m handrim group (lower values) and the 0.37 m handrim (higher values). Significant interaction (p < .0001) is identified between HD and Wv. LACT results seem to follow the same direction as HR. This methodology helped the athlete to choose the optimum HD, and his achievements (some world records) indicate that HD optimization could be highly profitable in sport terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the association between physical activity and self-perceptions such as body image, physical self-concept, and self-esteem among persons with an acquired physical disability in a non-Western population. Other personal variables such as gender and time of onset of disability were also examined. A convenience sample of 66 Hong Kong Chinese adults with an acquired physical disability were asked to complete a battery of questionnaires about their levels of physical activity and self-perceptions. Over 70% of the participants were not physically active enough to obtain health benefits. Contrary to studies focused on Western populations, the relationships between physical activity and self-perceptions were weak. The time of onset of disability, rather than activity level and gender, was more related to self-perceptions. The present study provides some evidence to advance our knowledge of self-perceptions in a non-Western population and highlights the importance of considering culture and social location in studying physical activity levels of those with an acquired physical disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedometer accuracy for steps and activity time during dynamic movement for youth with intellectual disabilities (ID) were examined. Twenty-four youth with ID (13 girls, 13.1 ± 3.2 yrs; 11 boys, 14.7 ± 2.7 yrs) were videotaped during adapted physical education class while wearing a Walk4Life 2505 pedometer in five locations around the waist. Researchers viewed each videotape and recorded observed steps and activity time. Observed findings were compared with pedometer recorded steps and time. On average, pedometer registered steps were underestimated by approximately 14% ± 16.5%, whereas pedometer registered time was overestimated by approximately 8.7% ± 21.8%. The findings indicate that the accuracy of pedometers may be compromised during dynamic movement for youth with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many studies have evaluated the prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) by focusing on different ages during childhood and adolescence. Although the prevalence of ID is higher in older age groups, how cumulative prevalence increases, and what level it reaches before adulthood, remains unclear. Method We used Care Register for Health Care to retrieve information on individuals born in 1996-2007 with any of the inclusion diagnoses of ID (F7 group and/or aetiological diagnoses) for the period 1996 to 2013. The cumulative prevalence was calculated as percentages for every age based on Finnish population data. Results The registration of new diagnoses of ID continued steadily throughout the developmental years. The cumulative prevalence reached 1.19% by age 17.5 among those born in 1996. Later-born age groups appeared to receive their first ID diagnoses earlier in childhood. Those born in 1999 reached a cumulative prevalence of 1.21% already by age 14.5. Of all those with ID, 67% had an F7 diagnosis only, 42% had an aetiological diagnosis only and 9% had both diagnoses. Conclusions Cumulative prevalence of ID by year, until the age of 18, will provide a better estimate and understanding of the prevalence of ID than a point prevalence at any one point during the developmental years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to offer some reflections and considerations arising from a case study regarding people with physical and sensory disabilities. Starting with a brief overview on the importance of the qualitative method in the study of disability, and on the use of some qualitative research techniques applied to this context, The article intends to highlight how, in some cases, qualitative interviews can provide better results than other techniques. Nevertheless, some difficulties can emerge also using qualitative interviews, in particular with deaf people. Moreover, since the research team included a disabled researcher, the article describes some problems that the latter (but not only) faced during the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of People with Disability (PWD) in organizations is a subject taken up by international organizations, such as the European Union and the United Nations, which has had subsequent consequences in Spain with the development of legislation and specific initiatives. In this paper we have considered the concept of disability as part of diversity and, above all, as a fundamental subject of human rights and justice, which has allowed us to include the collective of PWD among the stakeholders of companies. The research on the incorporation of disability as an integral part of the policies of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in companies is very recent, although the term Corporate Social Responsibility and Disability is already used. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the commitment with PWD of Spanish companies considered socially responsible by the sustainability indices used. We have included in four large dimensions ( Stakeholders, Visibility, Human Resources and Accessibility) the indicators that have allowed us to analyze the information on PWD published by these companies in their sustainability reports or similar documents accessible through their websites. The results suggest that the companies are more concerned about improving their image towards the exterior than for the commitment with their own employees, which is consistent with the dimension Visibility being where the companies carry out more actions in favor of PWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To examine whether number of remaining teeth and regular dental care affect incident functional disability in elderly Japanese adults. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Tsurugaya district, Sendai, Japan. Participants Community-dwelling individuals aged 70 and older (N = 834). Measurements The outcome measurement was incident functional disability, defined as first certification of long-term care insurance in Japan, which is determined on the basis of a strictly established uniform nationwide standard. During a median follow-up of 7.9 years (interquartile range 4.8-7.9 years), information on long-term care insurance was obtained from the Sendai Municipal Authority. Oral health was assessed according to number of remaining teeth and presence or absence of regular dental care. Data were also collected on age, sex, body mass index, medical history, smoking, alcohol consumption, duration of education, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, physical functioning, and social support. Results Participants with 10 to 19 teeth (adjusted hazard ratio ( aHR) = 1.42, 95% confidence interval ( CI) = 1.03-1.94), one to nine teeth ( aHR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.04-2.03), and no teeth ( aHR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.03-2.14) were more likely to develop functional disability than those with 20 or more teeth. There was no significant difference in risk of functional disability between participants with 20 or more teeth and those with zero to 19 teeth who were receiving regular dental care, whereas those with zero to 19 teeth without regular dental care had a significantly greater risk of functional disability than those with 20 or more teeth ( HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.11-1.92). Conclusion Tooth loss was associated with greater risk of functional disability in community-dwelling elderly Japanese. Regular dental care might moderate the risk of functional disability in elderly individuals with missing teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the perceived barriers to oral health care for persons with disabilities living in Islamabad. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at general community organizations in Islamabad providing services to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from Jan 2013 to Jun 2013 over a period of 6 months. Material and Methods: A total of 500 persons with disability who were dependent on someone to reach dental facilities were included in the study while those who were not dependent on someone were excluded from the study. A 12-item self-administered questionnaire was used. Patient's demographic data, type of disability and barriers to oral health care were recorded. Finally data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Results: Out of 400 respondents the most common disability was physical impairment (33.25%) followed by visual impairment (20.75%) and polio (14.75%). The major barriers to oral health care were transportation difficulty (48%) followed by high cost of dental treatment (39.5%) and inability to sit on dental chair /co-operate with dentist (31.25%). Conclusion: Significant barriers exist that limit the access to dental care for Person with Disabilities (PWDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about depressive symptoms in podoconiosis despite the independent contribution of depression to worse health outcomes and disability in people with other chronic disorders. Method: Two-hundred and seventy-one individuals with podoconiosis and 268 healthy neighbours (individuals from the nearest household in any direction) were investigated for depressive symptoms using a validated Amharic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II) tool was used to measure disability. Logistic regression and zero inflated negative binomial regression were used to identify factors associated with elevated depressive symptoms, and disability, respectively. Results: Among study participants with podoconiosis, 12.6% (34/269) had high levels of depressive symptoms (scoring 5 or more points on the PHQ-9, on two assessments two weeks apart) compared to 0.7% (2/268) of healthy neighbours (p<0.001). Having podoconiosis and being older were significantly associated with increased odds of a high PHQ-9 score (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] 11.42; 95% CI 2.44-53.44 and AOR 1.04; 95% CI 1.00- 1.08, respectively). Significant predictors of a higher disability score were having podoconiosis (WHODAS II multiplier value: 1.48; 95% CI 1.39-1.58) and having a high PHQ-9 score (1.07; 95% CI 1.06-1.08). Conclusion: We recommend integrating evidence-based treatments for depression into podoconiosis interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS Older and disabled rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are often not present in large numbers in clinical trials or registries. A novel, claims-based clinical effectiveness algorithm provides the potential to compare the effectiveness of different biologics among this population using large administrative databases. METHOD Using Medicare 2006-2010 data for 100% of patients with RA, we identified biologic naïve users of abatacept, adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab, defined as no biologic use during the 12months before the biologic initiation. The effectiveness was evaluated at 365 days after biologic initiation, determined using a validated claims-based algorithm. We compared the proportion meeting effectiveness criteria for each biologic using robust Poisson regression to compute risk ratios (RRs) adjusted for potential confounders. One year cost per effectively treated patient was calculated by different biologics. RESULTS The study included biologic naïve users of abatacept (n = 2129), adalimumab (n = 2944), etanercept (n = 3517) and infliximab (n = 5654). The algorithm classified the medications as 26% effective for abatacept, 24% for adalimumab, 28% for etanercept and 23% for infliximab, indicating comparable effectiveness. However, after adjustment and compared with infliximab, the RRs for effectiveness were 1.17 (95% CI 1.06, 1.30) for abatacept, 1.11 (95% CI 1.02, 1.23) for adalimumab and 1.27 (95% CI 1.17, 1.39) for etanercept. Older patients had a higher effectiveness than patients who were disabled (RR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.08, 1.28). Infliximab had highest cost per effectively treated patient. CONCLUSION Abatacept, adalimumab and etanercept are more effective than infliximab among RA patients initiating biologics. Effectiveness was significantly higher among older patients compared with disabled RA Medicare patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that illnesses and injuries leading to restricted activity have adverse functional consequences, but whether the two components of restricted activity have comparable effects is unknown. We evaluated whether an illness/injury leading to bed rest represents a more potent exposure than one leading to cutting down on one's usual activities without bed rest.Methods: We prospectively evaluated 754 community-living persons, 70+ years. Telephone interviews were completed monthly for >15 years to assess disability in four basic, five instrumental, and four mobility activities and to ascertain exposure to illnesses/injuries leading to cut down activities and bed rest, respectively. For each of the three functional domains, transitions between no disability, mild disability, and severe disability were evaluated each month.Results: For each domain, cut down activities and bed rest were significantly associated with at least one transition. The associations were consistently stronger, however, for bed rest than for cut down activities. Bed rest was a particularly potent exposure for transitions from no disability to severe disability, with hazard ratios as high as 8.94 (95% CI, 5.69-14.1) for the mobility activities, and for all transitions from severe disability (representing recovery), with hazard ratios as low as 0.25 (0.12-0.54) for the transition to no disability for the basic activities.Conclusions: In the setting of an illness/injury, bed rest was more strongly associated with a set of clinically meaningful transitions in functional status than cut down activities. Prompt medical attention may be warranted when an older person takes to bed because of an illness/injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how disability should be defined is fraught with political, ethical and philosophical complexities. The social model of disability, which posits that disability is socially and politically constructed and is characterised by systemic barriers, has enjoyed broad acceptance that is exemplified by the slow but steady progress in securing civil rights for persons with disabilities. Yet, there remains a palpable tension between disability studies scholars and activists and bioethicists. While philosophers and bioethicists should heed the theories developed from the standpoint of persons with disabilities, disability activists should acknowledge the possibility that philosophical theories about the basic reality of disease, illness, health, function and impairment offer a more steady foundation for social or political critiques of disability. I argue that naturalistic theories of function and dysfunction provide a valuable starting point to clarify questions about the broader concept of disability. A naturalist theory of function may serve as the core of the concept of disability and provide disability scholars and bioethicists alike a stronger set of arguments in analysing real or potential instances of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the contribution of holiday trips to the levels of life satisfaction reported by individuals with and without disability by using an approach in which life satisfaction is seen as a combination of various life satisfaction domains (health, job, housework, household income, dwelling, and leisure). Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we estimate a two-layer model which proposes that satisfaction with different domains of life are interrelated and wherein life satisfaction depends on the weight that the individual allocates to each of these domains. The results show that disabled people who participate in holiday trips obtain higher levels of satisfaction with health, job, and housework than do nondisabled ones, especially when this participation is more intense. In addition, satisfaction with health and household income has a significant effect on the overall life satisfaction reported by disabled individuals. Public policy recommendations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: We sought to define quality in telehealth and telecare with the aim of improving the proportion of patients who receive appropriate, acceptable and workable technologies and services to support them living with illness or disability. Methods: This was a three-phase study: (1) interviews with seven technology suppliers and 14 service providers, (2) ethnographic case studies of 40 people, 60 to 98 years old, with multi-morbidity and assisted living needs and (3) 10 co-design workshops. In phase 1, we explored barriers to uptake of telehealth and telecare. In phase 2, we used ethnographic methods to build a detailed picture of participants' lives, illness experiences and technology use. In phase 3, we brought users and their carers together with suppliers and providers to derive quality principles for assistive technology products and services. Results: Interviews identified practical, material and organisational barriers to smooth introduction and continued support of assistive technologies. The experience of multi-morbidity was characterised by multiple, mutually reinforcing and inexorably worsening impairments, producing diverse and unique care challenges. Participants and their carers managed these pragmatically, obtaining technologies and adapting the home. Installed technologies were rarely fit for purpose. Support services for technologies made high (and sometimes oppressive) demands on users. Six principles emerged from the workshops. Quality telehealth or telecare is 1) ANCHORED in a shared understanding of what matters to the user; 2) REALISTIC about the natural history of illness; 3) CO-CREATIVE, evolving and adapting solutions with users; 4) HUMAN, supported through interpersonal relationships and social networks; 5) INTEGRATED, through attention to mutual awareness and knowledge sharing; 6) EVALUATED to drive system learning. Conclusions: Technological advances are important, but must be underpinned by industry and service providers following a user-centred approach to design and delivery. For the ARCHIE principles to be realised, the sector requires: (1) a shift in focus from product ('assistive technologies') to performance ('supporting technologies-in-use'); (2) a shift in the commissioning model from standardised to personalised home care contracts; and (3) a shift in the design model from 'walled garden', branded products to inter-operable components that can be combined and used flexibly across devices and platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disability is not just a health problem or attribute of individuals, but it reflects the problems individuals experience in their interaction with society and physical movements. Disabled persons remain neglected part of society and they also experience various barriers due to restriction of participation. Objectives: The aim was to assess the quality of life (QOL) of physically disabled persons, the impact of physical disability on activities of daily living (ADL) and to study the awareness about laws and facilities available for disabled persons. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional community based study was conducted among 130 physical disabled persons who were selected using convenience sampling technique. The WHO BREF scale was used to assess QOL, while assessment of ADL was done using Barthel Index. Socio-demographic assessment was done using Udai Pareek scale. SPSS version 15.0 was used to analyze data. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. As per guidelines physical, psychological, social, and environmental domain scores for WHO BREF scale were calculated. Results: Among the study participants, 36.2% had a disability from birth that is, congenital. The second common cause of disability was found to be postpolio residual paralysis as it was found among 26.2% respondents. Other causes found were stroke/paralysis and accidents, in 19.2% and 18.5% respondents, respectively. Activities such as transfer, mobility, and stair climbing showed greater impact of physical disability. It was found that 11.5% respondents required help in one of the ADL. QOL score was found to be low under the psychological domain reflecting on negative feelings, bodily image, appearance, spirituality, and self-esteem of respondents. Conclusion: Physical disability had affected social participation as well as marriage of the respondents. However, it was found that very few of them are aware about facilities provided under persons with disability act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Audit of Disability Research in Australia (hereafter the Audit) identified research about people with disabilities, including psychosocial disability, and their families and carers living in Australia. The Audit covered both scientific and grey literature published in Australia between the years 2000-2013. Because the National Disability Research and Development Agenda (Disability Policy and Research Working Group, 2011) identified four cohorts that experience particular disadvantage, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women with disabilities, those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those living in rural and remote Australia, the Audit included a search based on geography. This paper reports on studies identified in the Audit that address disability and mental illness in the rural and remote context. In the literature unclear and overlapping definitions of mental illness and psychosocial disability were considerable challenges for the reviewers and these difficulties may potentially impact on how psychosocial disability is conceptualised. Of particular concern is the scant research that reflects the experiences of, and issues faced by, people living with disability and mental illness in rural and remote Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents qualitative data taken from in-depth interviews with 25 long-term sickness benefits recipients in the north east of England, UK. A key theme emerging from the research is the importance of listening to the narratives of long-term sick and disabled benefits recipients, particularly in relation to the formation of policy responses and in terms of practice. The findings also illustrate how stigma associated with claiming benefits can deter people from accessing the support they need, leading to under-claiming and the risk of amplified financial strain and hardship. Further, the importance of evidence that emerges from research which focuses upon the lived experiences of sickness benefits recipients to provide evidence in the framing of disability and welfare policy is crucial. Lastly, the article discusses how the narratives presented have implications for social policy and practice, alongside the potential implications for sick and disabled people themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. We examined the association between perceived environmental barriers to outdoor mobility and loneliness among community-dwelling older people. In addition, we studied whether walking difficulties and autonomy in participation outdoors affected this association. Methods. Cross-sectional analyses of face-to-face home interview data with 848 people aged 75–90 years (mean age: 80.1 years; 62% women) gathered within the “Life-Space Mobility in Old Age” (LISPE) project. Self-reports of loneliness, environmental barriers to outdoor mobility, and difficulties in walking 2 km were obtained with structured questionnaires. Autonomy in participation outdoors was assessed with the “Impact on Participation and Autonomy” questionnaire. Results. Altogether, 28% of participants reported experiencing loneliness sometimes or often. These participants also reported more difficulties in walking 2 km, restricted autonomy in participation outdoors, and more environmental barriers to outdoor mobility than people not experiencing loneliness. Snowy and icy winter conditions (odds ratio: 1.59 [95% confidence interval: 1.15–2.20]), long distances to services (odds ratio: 1.57 [1.00–2.46]), and hills in the nearby environment (odds ratio: 1.49 [1.05–2.12]) significantly increased the odds for loneliness, even after adjustments for walking difficulties, autonomy in participation outdoors, perceived financial situation, living alone, and health. Path modeling revealed that environmental barriers increased loneliness either through direct association or indirectly through restricted autonomy in participation outdoors. Conclusions. Prospective studies should investigate whether removing environmental barriers to outdoor mobility improves autonomy in participation outdoors and alleviates loneliness among older people. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities essentially modifies the theoretical framework to frame the person with disabilities in society. Disability or exceeded medical care and advanced approaches in the conceptualization of disability from the perspective of human rights. Among the recommendations of the Convention is referred to the Technologies of Information and Communication (ICTs) as a means of inclusion for people with disabilities, they are considered in this article. Subsequently universal accessibility is also discussed, in particular e-accessibility and digital inclusion as an essential human right to effective participation in society. The situation of our country within the framework of implementation of the Convention is also addressed. Finally, some final thoughts on technology to prepare society to be inclusive and consider ICTs and particularly the Internet as a key element of social inclusion and a fundamental right of equality initiatives are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among countries with comparable levels of income, India has one of the more progressive disability policy frameworks. However, people with disabilities in India are still subject to multiple disadvantages. This paper focuses on state-level variations in outcomes for people with disabilities to provide an explanation for the contrast between the liberal laws on paper and the challenges faced by people with disabilities in practice. Using average monthly per-capita expenditure as an indicator of economic well-being, instrumental-variable Wald estimator results indicate that households with members with disabilities have expenditures that are 14% lower compared with households with able members. This effect is most pronounced among families with male adults and children with disabilities, and in states that are relatively poor, relatively more urban, those that experience extremes in annual rainfall and temperature, and those that have low to medium levels of inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Putting disability studies to work in art education suggests a form of action or industry, a creative opportunity for something to be done, recognising the relationship between theory and practice. Drawing on discourse analysis, this article offers an initial theoretical discussion of some of the ways in which disability is revealed and created through discourses about art education in articles published over the last 30 years in iJADE. This article proposes that the lens of critical social pedagogies applied to work relating to gender, race and class should be extended to disability in order to promote critical engagement through art education rather than critical avoidance. Drawing on Elliot Eisner's six lessons in what can be learnt from the arts, the article concludes by recognising the importance of art education as a means of epistemic validation, where different ways of being in the world are valued. Art education and arts practice offer a means of valuing and expressing the 'dynamic difference of what it means to be human'. The article argues that the combination of disability studies and art education can, therefore, be a force to be reckoned with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure ulcers can be a fatal complication. Many immobile wheelchair users face this threat. Current passive and active cushions do reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers and they have different merits. We proposed an active approach to combine their advantages which is based on the concept that the interface pressure can be changed with different supporting shapes. The purpose of this paper is to verify the proposed approach. With practical applications in mind, we have developed a modular system whose support surface is composed by height-adjustable support elements. Each four-element module was self-contained and composed of force sensors, position sensors, linear actuators, signal conditioners, driving circuits, and signal processors. The modules could be chained and assembled together easily to form different-sized support surfaces. Each support element took up a 3 cm x 3 cm supporting area. The displacement resolution was less than 0.1 mm and the force sensor error was less than 1% in the 2000 g range. Each support element of the system could provide 49 N pushing force (408 mmHg over the 3 cm x 3 cm area) at a speed of 2.36 mm/s. Several verification tests were performed to assess the whole system's feasibility. Further improvements and clinical applications were discussed. In conclusion, this modularized system is capable of actively managing interface pressure in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To describe the epidemiological profile of people living with disabilities due to traffic accidents (TA) in Peru. Materials and methods. Secondary analysis of the National Survey Specialized on Disability (ENEDIS) of 2012 and an ecological analysis of TA records of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications was done. Results. Disability by traffic accidents (DAT) was reported by 49,036 persons; 81.3% of whom live in urban areas. The most frequent disability was limited locomotion and skill (77.4%), followed by visual impairment (22.9%). Dependence for activities was reported in 44.7% of persons with disabilities. The regions with the highest prevalence of TA have a higher prevalence of disability by traffic accidents (Spearman coefficient: 0.426, p=0.034). Conclusions. Most of disability due to TA is found in urban areas, correspond to males and consist of persons in economically productive age. The most common form of disability is in locomotion. Most of individuals do not receive any form of rehabilitation, which accentuates health inequity related to traffic accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kitchen environment is one of the scenarios in the home where users can benefit from Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) applications. Moreover, it is the place where old people suffer from most domestic injuries. This paper presents a novel design, implementation and assessment of a Smart Kitchen which provides Ambient Assisted Living services; a smart environment that increases elderly and disabled people's autonomy in their kitchen-related activities through context and user awareness, appropriate user interaction and artificial intelligence. It is based on a modular architecture which integrates a wide variety of home technology (household appliances, sensors, user interfaces, etc.) and associated communication standards and media (power line, radio frequency, infrared and cabled). Its software architecture is based on the Open Services Gateway initiative (OSGi), which allows building a complex system composed of small modules, each one providing the specific functionalities required, and can be easily scaled to meet our needs. The system has been evaluated by a large number of real users (63) and carers (31) in two living labs in Spain and UK. Results show a large potential of system functionalities combined with good usability and physical, sensory and cognitive accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Findings from a meta-analysis of 26 studies investigating the effects of either the Kids on the Block or Count Me In puppet shows on changes in elementary students' attitudes toward and knowledge of individuals with disabilities are reported. The studies included 5,302 intervention group participants and 2,642 comparison group participants. Results indicated that the puppet shows had small to medium effects on changes in the participants' attitudes and knowledge, and that the sizes of effect were moderated by a number of intervention- and nonintervention-related variables. Both the strengths and limitations of the meta-analysis are described as well as are the implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] To present the information of ADL profile and its associated factors in adults with ID. [•] The results revealed that 2.3% of adults with ID were in total dependence, 11.9% were in severe dependence. [•] Education level, with comorbid Down's syndrome, and disability level related to ADL scores. [•] It is needed to support mobility in older adults with ID to optimize independence in this group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Williams syndrome (WS) is associated with atypical face attention and social drive. [•] Results show that anxiety influences attention away from eye regions of faces in WS. [•] This suggests anxiety may mediate the allocation of attention to faces in WS. [•] Intervention should focus on anxiety reduction to improve atypical gaze behaviour. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We explored the relationship between antecedents and behavioral function using the QABF and the CAI. [•] Data from the validation of these instruments for the Spanish population were used. [•] The study involved 300 participants with intellectual disabilities and 328 challenging behavior. [•] Results identify social/cultural variables as the best predictors of challenging behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The impact of visual impairments in self-esteem and LOC of adults were examined. [•] Sighted adults showed a higher score on the self-esteem. [•] Predictors of self-esteem were age at loss of sight and severity of visual impairment. [•] Predictors of LOC were the ability to move independent and severity of visual impairment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We reviewed 28 studies comparing different AAC systems for individuals with developmental disabilities. [•] Comparisons included non-electronic picture systems to speech generating devices, aided AAC to unaided, and AAC to vocal speech. [•] Consistent differences across all variables were not typical, but there were differences across individuals and outcomes. [•] When differences were present, learner characteristics such as motor imitation ability may have played a role. [•] In addition to effectiveness and efficiency, outcomes such as preference or maintenance should be considered based upon intervention goals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Body fat negatively affected the MABC-2 score for balance, while manual dexterity and aiming/catching were not influenced. [•] Three individual balance items (2-board balance, walking toe-heel, zig-zag hopping) were significantly influenced by relative body fat. [•] After adjusting for activity level and DCD status, only 2-board balance and zig-zag hopping were significant influenced by relative body fat. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The overall quality of research addressing this use of beta blockers is poor. [•] Research suggests that a symptom based approach is used by clinicians in prescribing of beta blockers. [•] There is some evidence for positive outcomes for a range of problem behaviours. [•] Beta blockers appear to be well tolerated in the populations studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a social communication disorder in someone displaying repetitive and restrictive interests. Diagnosed in early childhood, children struggle to develop social relationships required for further learning and independent living. This article discusses changes to the diagnosis, how the diagnosis is made, the prevalence, causes and interventions. Importantly, this review guides medical students towards an understanding of what to expect in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and how to interact with them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article documents the process of attempting to challenge barriers that prevent disabled people with high levels of institutional intervention from taking part in research dissemination and its more elevated spaces of presentation, debate, and influence. We have sought to keep the disabled researchers on our team in the conversation throughout article production. Thus, the article is a series of dialogues conducted across the production process. These dialogues explore the embodied methodologies that made risk management policy more accessible to those whose views about it we wanted to hear. We also explore the spatial metaphors that arose as we reflected on research. This involves an engagement with Deleuze and Guattari’s metaphor of plateau and an understanding of our work as a series of assemblages that are configured and reconfigured to adapt to changing opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: A rapidly increasing proportion of people in high-income countries are surviving into their tenth decade. Concern is widespread that the basis for this development is the survival of frail and disabled elderly people into very old age. To investigate this issue, we compared the cognitive and physical functioning of two cohorts of Danish nonagenarians, born 10 years apart. Methods: People in the first cohort were born in 1905 and assessed at age 93 years (n=2262); those in the second cohort were born in 1915 and assessed at age 95 years (n=1584). All cohort members were eligible irrespective of type of residence. Both cohorts were assessed by surveys that used the same design and assessment instrument, and had almost identical response rates (63%). Cognitive functioning was assessed by mini-mental state examination and a composite of five cognitive tests that are sensitive to age-related changes. Physical functioning was assessed by an activities of daily living score and by physical performance tests (grip strength, chair stand, and gait speed). Findings: The chance of surviving from birth to age 93 years was 28% higher in the 1915 cohort than in the 1905 cohort (6-50% vs 5 06%), and the chance of reaching 95 years was 32% higher in 1915 cohort (3-93% vs 2-98%). The 1915 cohort scored significantly better on the mini-mental state examination than did the 1905 cohort (22-8 [SD 5-6] vs 21-4 [6-0]; p<0-0001), with a substantially higher proportion of participants obtaining maximum scores (28-30 points; 277 [23%] vs 235 [13%]; p<0 0001). Similarly, the cognitive composite score was significantly better in the 1915 than in the 1905 cohort (0 • 49 [SD 3 • 6] vs 0 • 01 [SD 3 • 6]; p=0 • 0003). The cohorts did not differ consistently in the physical performance tests, but the 1915 cohort had significantly better activities of daily living scores than did the 1905 cohort (2 0 [SD 0-8] vs 1-8 [0-7]; p<0 0001). Interpretation Despite being 2 years older at assessment, the 1915 cohort scored significantly better than the 1905 cohort on both the cognitive tests and the activities of daily living score, which suggests that more people are living to older ages with better overall functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the statutory accident insurers developed an action plan running from 2012 to 2014. This should contribute to realization of this convention and to further branding the concept of the statutory accident insurance as social insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The end-state comfort (ESC) effect signifies the tendency to avoid uncomfortable postures at the end of goal-directed movements and can be reliably observed during object manipulation in adults, but only little is known about its development in children. The aim of the present paper is to provide a review of research on the ESC effect in normally developing children and in children with various developmental disorders, and to identify the factors constraining anticipatory planning skills. Three databases (Medline, Scopus, and PubMed) and relevant journals were scrutinized and a step-wise analysis procedure was employed to identify the relevant studies. Thirteen studies assessed the ESC effect in children, ranging from 1.5-14 years of age. Nine out of these thirteen studies reported the ESC effect to be present in normally developing children, but the results are inconsistent with regard to children's age and the kind of ESC task used. Some evidence even suggests that these planning skills are intact in children with developmental disorders. Inconsistencies between findings are discussed in the light of moderating factors like the number of action steps, precision requirements, familiarity with the task, the task procedure, motivation, sample size, and age, as well as the cognitive and motor development of the participants. Further research is needed to investigate the onset and the developmental course of ESC planning, as well as the interdependencies with other cognitive abilities and sensory-motor skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of disabled people in the world is over 600 million. In Turkey there are also more than 8.5 million people who are disabled. The disabled people who are considered to be the biggest minority in the world mean that they are the biggest special market for tourism industry in the world. Each person has got the right to get services and facilities equally as a matter of basic human rights and being a contemporary society. To travel, to relax and to sightsee are some of these rights. The research was done in order to obtain the thoughts of the managers of these hotels and to evaluate the holiday villages and 4 and 5 star hotels in Bodrum regarding to the disabled tourism market. According to the results, it has been found out that the managers of the hotels are not aware of the importance of this market. And also that they obey the regulations and formalities but all these regulations and formalities are unsatisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disability has been pathologized by medical knowledge focused on the biological body as an object of rehabilitation with nonmedical knowledge that manage standardization. Based on the reflexiveness, the article proposes interactions between social critical studies before applying the expertise, in order to situate the representation and knowledge production from the perspective of social studies of science, technology and medicine, and from the experiences, to revive discussions opened by postcolonial and feminist studies. As a result, epistemic distancing questions the ways of doing research and thinking / understanding the socio-political reality experienced by women and men with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the 54 million Americans living with disabilities, negative attitudes foster biased communication and barriers to social, political, and economic integration. Using self-reports of hearing-abled individuals (N = 234), this study takes an intergroup approach to explore factors surrounding attitudes toward communicative interactions with profoundly hearing impaired and deaf individuals (PHIDIs). Findings confirm the intergroup contact hypothesis (Allport, 1954) in this particular context while introducing social dominance as a construct of great utility to intergroup theorizing. Attitudes were less negative for hearing individuals with less intergroup anxiety, lower social dominance orientation, and more communication contact with profoundly hearing impaired/deaf individuals. Finally, differences among communication, cognition, and attitudes were assessed in terms of biological sex and the decision to enroll in a Manual Communication course. The results of these analyses indicate that males are higher in social dominance orientation, and that females and individuals enrolled in Manual Communication courses have more positive attitudes toward PHIDIs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The latest researches use software technology (OLDP, object location detection programs) to turn a commercial high-technology product, i.e. a battery-free wireless mouse, into a high performance/precise object location detector to detect whether or not an object has been placed in the designated location. The preferred environmental stimulation is also incorporated to assist those patients in need of occupational activities in performing simple occupational activities to acquire their preferred environmental stimulation. The result of the experiment shows that both participants have been able to control their preferred environmental stimulation by actively performing occupational activities. This study is going to extend the aforementioned researches by using battery-free wireless mice to assist patients in performing more complicated occupational activities. The ABAB design has been adopted for experiments, and the result shows that during intervention phrases, the occupational activities of both participants are significantly improved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Persons with chronic disabilities report the lowest subjective well-being (SWB) in many countries. The gap in SWB compared with the non-disabled population is smaller in some countries than in others. Data from the European Social Survey were analysed in order to: (1) describe the inequality in SWB in 21 European countries; and (2) identify the main determinants of this inequality in SWB. Data on a range of topics of a total of 40,605 persons, including 2,846 persons with serious chronic disabilities, were used of the European Social Survey. SWB was measured using multi-item scales for 'emotional well-being' and 'satisfying life'. Variables on disability, socio-demographics (age, gender, household composition), socio-economic status (level of education, net household income), participation (paid work, voluntary work, social contacts), and personal resources (supportive relationships, social cohesion, vitality, optimism, resilience, perceived autonomy, perceived accomplishment, perceived capacity, perceived engagement, perceived meaning and purpose) were entered stepwise in regression models of SWB. The results show that persons with disabilities are in a disadvantaged position in terms of SWB in all countries. In the Northern countries, the gaps between disabled and non-disabled persons are smaller than in Eastern European countries. In all countries inequality in SWB is explained mostly by personal resources and not by the level of disability, socio-economic status or level of participation in work. The implications of these findings for policy and practice (e.g. social cohesion and physical exercise programs) are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensors have become ubiquitous in their reach and scope of application. They are a technological cornerstone for various modes of health surveillance and participatory medicine--such as quantifying oneself; they are also employed to track people with certain as impairments perceived ability differences. This paper presents quantitative and qualitative data of an exploratory, non-generalizable study into the perceptions, attitudes and concerns of staff of a disability service organization, that mostly serve people with intellectual disabilities, towards the use of various types of sensor technologies that might be used by and with their clients. In addition, perspectives of various types of privacy issues linked to sensors, as well data regarding the concept of quantified self were obtained. Our results highlight the need to involve disabled people and their support networks in sensor and quantified-self discourses, in order to prevent undue disadvantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Individuals diagnosed with an intellectual disability (ID) share overlapping traits with those diagnosed with both ID and an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if caregivers’ reports of symptoms of ASD are of value (i.e., when comparing them to clinical diagnoses of ASD) and to determine which symptoms of ASD best differentiate those with ASD from those with ID only. It was hypothesized that a subset of items would emerge using the Autism Spectrum Disorders-Diagnostic for Adults (ASD-DA) which would differentiate the two groups utilize in this study. One hundred eighty-six adults diagnosed with ID with and without diagnosis of ASD were assessed for core symptoms and other behavioral differences using the ASD-DA. Most of the individuals in the ID group (n =93) and the ID plus ASD group (n =93) were in the profound range of ID. The items which were most likely to distinguish individuals with ASD were in socialization domain. Furthermore, adults with ASD were more likely to be male and to be non-verbal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study provided that people with multiple disabilities can have a collaborative working chance in computer operations through an Enhanced Multiple Cursor Dynamic Pointing Assistive Program (EMCDPAP, a new kind of software that replaces the standard mouse driver, changes a mouse wheel into a thumb/finger poke detector, and manages mouse actions). The study used an ABAB design to evaluate whether four people (two pairs) with multiple disabilities, who have very limited voluntary muscle control and cannot use a standard mouse, would be able to improve their collaborative pointing performance using their finger poke ability with a mouse wheel through EMCDPAP software. The data showed that both pairs of participants improved their collaborative pointing efficiency through the use of the EMCDPAP software during the intervention phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives:To examine the association of living arrangements with functional disability among older persons and explore the mediation of impact factors on the relationship. Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data from Healthy Aging study in Zhejiang Province. Participants: Analyzed sample was drawn from a representative rural population of older persons in Wuyi County, Zhejiang Province, including 1542 participants aged 60 and over in the second wave of the study. Measurements: Living arrangements, background, functional disability, self-rated health, number of diseases, along with contemporaneous circumstances including income, social support (physical assistance and emotional support). Instrument was Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, including Basic Activities Daily Living (BADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Results: Living arrangements were significantly associated with BADL, IADL and ADL disability. Married persons living with or without children were more advantaged on all three dimensions of functional disability. Unmarried older adults living with children only had the worst functional status, even after controlling for background, social support, income and health status variables (compared with the unmarried living alone, ß for BADL: 21.262, ß for IADL: 22.112, ß for ADL: 23.388; compared with the married living with children only, ß for BADL: 21.166, ß for IADL: 22.723, ß for ADL: 23.902). In addition, older adults without difficulty in receiving emotional support, in excellent health and with advanced age had significantly better BADL, IADL and ADL function. However, a statistically significant association between physical assistance and functional disability was not found. Conclusion: Functional disabilities vary by living arrangements with different patterns and other factors. Our results highlight the association of unmarried elders living with children only and functioning decline comparing with other types. Our study implies policy makers should pay closer attention to unmarried elders living with children in community. Community service especially emotional support such as psychological counseling is important social support and should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Human Disabled-2 ( Dab2), a putative tumor suppressor gene, is frequently down-regulated in human tumors. This study aims to explore the association between Dab2 methylation status and expression in newly diagnosed myelodysplastic syndrome ( MDS) patients and patients who received 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine) treatment, so as to determine the effect of Dab2 in the pathogenesis of MDS. Methods Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and bisulfite sequencing were used to detect the methylation status of Dab2 gene. Dab2 expression was investigated by using fluorescence quantitation RT- PCR ( FQRT- PCR) and western blot analysis. Results Hypermethylation of Dab2 gene was present in 50.6% of patients with MDS and was significantly correlated with the down-regulation of Dab2 mRNA and protein expression. There was a significant difference in methylation frequency between refractory anemia/refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts/ MDS associated with isolated del (5q) ( RA/RARS/5q-) group (33.3%) and refractory anemia with excess blasts-1/-2 ( RAEB-1/ RAEB-2) group (73.3%). Significant difference was also observed between refractory cytopenia with multiline dysplasia group (37.8%) and RAEB-1/ RAEB-2 group. In addition, higher frequency of hypermethylation was observed in intermediate-2-/high-risk group, compared to low-risk/intermediate-1-risk group (75.0% vs. 40.0%). Demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment could partly reverse hypermethylation and, hence, restore the expression of Dab2 gene. Conclusions The Dab2 gene is inactivated in MDS in part by DNA methylation, and the suppression of Dab2 expression by DNA methylation may play a role in the development of MDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]