Effectiveness of Community Occupational Therapy Intervention in, with and from the Community in People with Disabilities in Azrou (Morocco).

Leire Eiguren-Munitis,Mirian Santamaría-Peláez,Paula Rodríguez-Fernández,Josefa González-Santos,Jerónimo J González-Bernal,Raúl Soto-Cámara

doi:10.3390/ijerph18115602

Leire Eiguren-Munitis, Mirian Santamaría-Peláez + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115602

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Abstract

In Morocco, the social and environmental context influences the volition and development of meaningful activities, creating physical, personal and social barriers to the occupational performance of people with disabilities. This study develops a community Occupational Therapy program in order to verify its effectiveness in the volition, quality of life and perceived self-stigma of people with disabilities in the Moroccan city of Azrou, and to reduce the stigma of the community towards people with disabilities in the city. Data were collected from people with disabilities who participated in the program (N = 52), using the Volitional Questionnaire (VQ), The World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF), the Stigma Awareness Questionnaire (SCQ) and an ad hoc interview. In addition, community stigma was assessed by the Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27) in citizens without disabilities (N = 42). Results confirmed that this intervention favors the inclusion of people with disabilities in their closest environment, improving volition and quality of life and reducing self-stigma. Furthermore, the community’s stigma towards people with disabilities was also significantly reduced after the intervention.

Highlights

Marek SzilvasiDisability is defined by the WHO [1] as a complex phenomenon that reflects a close relationship between the characteristics of the person and the environment, being determining of the sociocultural properties
According to the latest WHO results [1], 15% of the world population has some type of disability, and the Moroccan National Survey [1,2] confirms that 5.12% of its population has a diagnosis of disability, or as far as this is concerned, more than one and a half million of the total population
Most of the existing studies have been carried out from a western approach and in populations that are not closely related to the one investigated in the present study

Summary

Introduction

Marek SzilvasiDisability is defined by the WHO [1] as a complex phenomenon that reflects a close relationship between the characteristics of the person and the environment, being determining of the sociocultural properties. According to the latest WHO results [1], 15% of the world population has some type of disability, and the Moroccan National Survey [1,2] confirms that 5.12% of its population has a diagnosis of disability, or as far as this is concerned, more than one and a half million of the total population. According to Morocco’s State Survey [2], the situation of people with disabilities is confusing. There are laws in the regulatory framework that underscore and ensure the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in their community, the reality that many of them live in is very different [3]. Actions must be taken to ensure compliance with rights and achieve personal and community well-being and social participation

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