Study shows individuals with disabilities face barriers when dining out

Abstract

A recent study from the University of Technology Sydney demonstrates that many individuals with disabilities feel isolated and excluded from eating out. The first‐of‐its‐kind study systematically reviewed research on the “experiences of people with disability eating out in cafés, restaurants, and other setting.” In total, the authors reviewed 36 studies, with most studies focusing on individuals with physical or sensory disabilities eating out and a handful of studies examining the experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities, swallowing disabilities, or communication with disabilities. The authors noted the limited amount of available research on the needs of peoples with disabilities in relation to eating out and called for further research to help guide policy and practice for including individuals with disabilities in dining‐out activities, especially research on the “need for mealtime assistance or texture‐modified foods, and the dining out experiences of people with swallowing disability.”