Disability and Its Everyday Use - Dissertation Example

Disability and Its Everyday Use Disability has been defined in different ways by various institutions and scholars. This task will identify three definitions of disability. First, the term “disability” has been defined under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) as a long-term mental or physical impairment of a person that can result in significant adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out daily activities normally (Nidirect, 2014). Secondly, English Oxford Dictionary defines disability as the physical or mental condition that causes difficulties of movement, carrying out activities or sensing. The third definition is the definition by World Health Organization which suggests that disability is a collective name for impairments, participation restrictions, and limitation of activities. Today, the terminology that can be used to define disability is special needs or challenged. In this case, people with disabilities are termed as people with special needs or physically challenged people. The three definitions have several issues in common, and differ in only a few areas. The definitions include common terms such as “mental”, “physical”, “impairment”, and “activity limitation”. These terms have key relationships and can be analyzed using various medical and social models of disability. The environment also affects the definition of disability because it may determine how various social or medical models define and explain disability. For instance, the environment may increase or decrease the level of physical impairment of a person, making him or her more or less disabled. The medical model of disability suggests that disability is a mental or physical impairment together with its consequences on a person (Zaretsky et al, 2005). In this regard, it seems that the Disability Discrimination Act used this model to define the term “disability” because it does not only mention mental and physical impairment in its definition, but also the consequences of such impairment. The medical model suggests that disability is the combination of limitations that result from impairment. The oxford dictionary also identifies those limitations, including inability to carry out activities normally, difficulties in movement, and problems associated with sensing. The definitions of disability are therefore related to or derived from medical models of disability. The world Health Organization defines disability as a combination of factors, and one of them is impairment that is highlighted by the medical model. The medical mode definition explains how people with disabilities can be treated. The model suggests that people with disabilities can be treated by first identifying the disability using an in-depth clinical method. Healthcare providers then use biomedical and scientific mechanisms to treat them. People use monetary resources to carry out medical, surgical or drug-based treatments prescribed by qualified healthcare officials. The social model suggests that disability is caused by the relation between a person and his or her environment (Zaretsky et al, 2005). According to the social model, disability results from the way a society is organized rather than impairment of a person. Disability occurs when people are excluded from social life domains due to their mental or physical traits. The World Health Organization incorporates some issues of the social model to define disability. For example, it suggests that disability includes participation restriction. In this case, disability is defined as a situation of excluding people from participation in social life domains. Therefore, this definition considers disability as a result of a person’s relation with his or her environment. The social model of disability supports disabled people because it allows the society to understand that those people are affected by environmental influence; hence they try to improve their environment by visiting them, helping them and spending time with them. From this analysis, it is clear that the Oxford dictionary and the Disability Discrimination Act define disability in terms of the medical model which suggests that disability is the impairment of an individual alongside its consequences. On the other hand, World Health Organization suggests that the definition of Disability combines the aspects of both medical and social models, including impairment and participation restriction. Therefore, disability can be defined as the effect of the social environment and individual impairment of a person. Task 3: Features of Disability Disability is viewed differently in different geographical and cultural backgrounds. Some regions view it as a social phenomenon while others consider it as a medical complication. These views lead to different features according to class, age, ethnicity and gender. Various countries also have different opinions and observations of disability. Ethnicity Disability is considered as a curse or a characteristic of poverty in some third world countries, but it is treated as a normal medical condition in some First World countries. Bangladesh is also another developing country with serious cases of disability and poverty. The country records one of the highest levels of disability rates in the world. 16% of the country’s population has disabilities (Mitra et al, 2011). The highest percentage of people with disabilities in Bangladesh is made up of women (23% compared to 10% for men). Disability prevalence is higher in poor countries than rich countries. People with disabilities in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Burkina Faso also have lower level of education attainment and low employment rates (Eide & Ingstad, 2011). Disability affects millions of families in third world countries. About 650 million people around the world currently live with disability, amounting to around 10% of the world’s total population (Mitra et al, 2011). Around 80 per cent of the total number of people with disability lives in third world countries. Disability is more common in poor communities than rich communities (Eide & Ingstad, 2011). While the total population of people with disability is only 10 percent of the world’s total population, the percentage is 20 per cent among the world’s poorest communities. Developed or industrialized countries have adopted laws and practices to protect the rights of people with disability. For example, U.S.A. has anti-discrimination laws which allow people with disabilities to have access to work. U.S.A. also has a large number of people with disabilities who own small businesses. Some companies in the United States and other developed countries also have disability management programs in the workplace. Furthermore, disability benefits and insurance programs are provided by employers in U.S.A as required by the law. However, U.S.A. still records a large number of people with disabilities without work. Employers argue that people with disabilities are not able to perform the required tasks effectively. In developing countries, disability is also common among people with lower levels of education. Nearly 90 percent of the world’s total number of disabled children does not go to school (Batshaw, 1997). Disability also causes lack of access to higher education; hence people with disabilities are underrepresented in such high learning institutions (Wilson, 2010). Girls and women with disabilities often fall victims of rape and they rarely receive attention or legal protection from the police. For example, in India almost all the women with disabilities have been abused at home. Social Class One of the reasons for the high percentage of people with disability among minority groups is the rise of diseases and other conditions that cause impairment among the poor populations. For example, HIV/AIDS and drug and alcohol abuse are increasing, and are becoming important causes of disabilities in developing countries. Developing countries also experience a large number of cases of conflict and violence during warfare. The relationship between disability and poverty causes a vicious circle. When a society experiences poverty, its people become vulnerable to disability due to malnutrition, poor healthcare and sanitation, and unsafe working and living conditions. Disability then causes lack of access to employment, education and other public goods and services that could have otherwise taken them out of poverty (Wilson, 2010). The poverty level of people living with disabilities is higher than that of people living without. Expenses of people living with disability further increase the poverty rates of people with disabilities. Discrimination is one of the main features of disability. Most disabled people are usually excluded from the society. The rights of people with disabilities are also violated in some countries. Such discriminations occur in many forms including denial of the right to education and total segregation from the community. Discrimination against people with disabilities may also occur in areas such as employment, transport, housing and public places. Discrimination of people with disability is carried out by imposing physical and social barriers, resulting in distinctions, preferences and restrictions. In this case, people with disability are denied the opportunity to enjoy or exercise human rights that are enjoyed by other people in the society. India is one of the most discriminatory countries against people with disabilities. Among the 70 million people Age The number of elderly people with impairments in developing countries is increasing due to the increasing lifespan of those countries. Malnutrition, child labor and diseases are also other causes of disability in developing countries. Most of the injured people usually acquire some forms of permanent disability. This leads to high rates of disabilities among children who are vulnerable to certain conditions that may cause impairment. Gender More females than males live with disability. As the population in developing countries increase significantly, the number of people living with disability also increases. Men with disabilities tend to get more opportunities than women. Furthermore, women may become more vulnerable to conditions that lead to disabilities due to their role in the society – performing household chores, raising children and farming. Task 4: Disability Related Legislations Equality Act 2010 UK’s Equality Act 2010 provides regulations on disability in Chapter 15, Part 2, Chapter 1, section 6 of the Act. This Act defines disability as a mental or physical impairment that results in the inability of a person to perform day-to-day activities normally. A substantial level of disability under the Act is minor, such that a person with substantial disability takes longer than usual to perform daily activities. On the other hand, long-term disability refers to the type of disability which takes longer than 12 months. This legislation also suggests that a person with a particular disability should receive protection. In this case disability is a protected characteristic under the Act. Equality Act 2010 also provides that discrimination against people with disability occurs when someone treats a person with disability less favourably than others (Hills, 2012). In this case, a person does not discriminate on a person with disability if he or she treats him more favourably. Equality Act 2010 also regulates that people with disability should be protected against discrimination by employers. Such a protection covers areas such as interviews, job offers, application process, aptitude tests, dismissal, promotion, terms of employment, etc. Employers should not consider a person redundant just because of disability. They should also offer reasonable adjustments to people with disability at the workplace. This Act therefore leads to removal of barriers to opportunities such as employment and access to important resources and education. The legislations that come as a result of the Equality Act 2010 advocate for the protection of the rights of people with disability. This recognition of disability as a protection characteristic changes the attitudes of the society towards people with disability, so that they are all accepted and allowed to participate in activities within the society. Disability Discrimination Act 1995 This Act defines disability and provides regulations on discrimination against people with disability in relation to employment, public goods and services, education, higher education, and public transport. The Act defines disability as a condition of having a mental or physical disability that results in long term adverse effects on the ability of a person to carry out daily activities. According to the Act, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person with disability in various employment issues such as application process, employment adjustments, and working conditions. The Act goes further to regulate the discrimination against people with disability in terms of acquisition of goods, facilities, premises, and public services. In this regard, the Act provides that it is unlawful for a public officer to refuse to provide a good, access to a facility or service to a person on the basis of having a disability. This Act therefore has significant effect on the protection of people with disabilities. It provides barriers to discrimination of all forms against people with disabilities, and provides a good environment for people with disability to live. This promotes the theoretical social model of disability which suggests that disability is determined by how the society views it, or how the environment shapes a person. Mental Health Act 1983 The Mental Health Act gives provisions on the care, protection and treatment of people with mental disabilities. The Act provides procedures for admission of a mentally ill person to a hospital, guardianship application and other general provisions. The admission of mentally disabled people into hospitals should be carried out by approved professionals in the field of mental health who have knowledge and experience of handling people with disabilities (Emerson, 2004). When treating a mentally ill person, approved clinicians and nearest relatives should be present. The Act ensures that mentally disordered people receive treatment appropriately without any form of discrimination. The Act also enhances the building of good mental structures with good equipment and sufficient amount of clinicians and mental health professionals. It also provides regulations that lead to disorder assessment and reduction of the impacts of mental disorders in the society. Task 5: The Role of Welfare State Pressure Groups The welfare state pressure groups and other organisations play a significant role in relation to disability and inclusivity. Some of the pressure groups include RADAR, TUC, and UNISON. These groups work with members of the community to provide awareness about the laws and regulations that protect people with disabilities (O'Brien, 2011). The laws also push for the improvement of laws to meet the needs of people with disabilities. These groups also require support from the government and the public so that they can become successful in their mandate and objectives of improving the welfare of disabled people. One of the state pressure groups that advocate for the rights of people with disability is the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation. The charity group was formed in 1977 to represent the needs and interests of people living with disabilities in the UK. The main role of the RADAR is to eliminate the attitudinal, economic and structural barriers that affect disabled people in UK (Hills, 2012). It carries out campaigns throughout the UK, releasing briefings and policy statements regarding disability issues. The organisation also offers support services to other organisations that are committed to the protection of people with disabilities. One of the key schemes of RADAR was the construction and enhancement of access to public toilets for disabled people in United Kingdom. The group encouraged the set up of the National Key Scheme in order to encourage accessibility of public toilets by disabled people. RADAR recommends that public toilets for people with disabilities should be kept open and in good conditions at all times. This role of RADAR ensures that the disabled people in UK access their right to use public goods and services without unnecessary barriers. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) also plays a crucial role in the protection of the rights of people with disabilities. TUC is a group of affiliated trade unions that are concerned with the representation of workers in the UK. The group campaigns for fair deals of workers and justice for everyone. The union also negotiates for terms of employment for workers and builds relationships with businesses, political parties and communities in the UK. TUC also deals with equality issues, including the equality of people with disability (Hills, 2012). It protects the interests of people with disability by providing guidance on the laws on discrimination against such people. This state welfare group fights against government attack on public services. It also uses trade union campaign meetings to talk about issues affecting people with disabilities. TUC also publishes advice on mental illness and related issues in the workplace for various officers and representatives of the union. The union also provides advice for various officers on the issues of discrimination and prejudice against disabled people at the workplace. These roles ensure that people with disabilities are protected from attack by government and employers. TUC therefore minimizes barriers of effective work of people with disabilities at the workplace. Another state pressure group that protects people with disabilities is the UNISON. UNISON is a trade union representing employees working in various industries within the public sector. There are three main roles of UNISON in relation to disability issues: fighting discrimination, campaigning, and organizing in various levels. The group of disabled members in the union is led by people with disabilities. The group campaigns for the improvement of legislations on antidiscrimination targeting people with disabilities, improvement of accessibility of workplaces, disability leave agreements and other benefits, and elimination of attitudinal barriers that could prevent disabled people from carrying out their activities in a normal way (O'Brien, 2011). Task 6: Disability as a Social Movement Considering the great support that disabled people have received from state pressure groups and the general public, disability has become a social movement in the UK. Various pressure groups such as the trade unions and RADAR have pushed for the implementation of laws protecting people with disabilities. The sociological perspective of the rights movement of various pressure groups suggests that the groups have emerged to eliminate the oppression and discrimination against people with disabilities (Salway et al, 2011). The pressure groups’ campaigns are intended to empower people with disabilities and increase their awareness about their rights. These campaigns enabled the pressure groups to drive their lives and influence the social environment and practices in order to enhance participation of people with disability in the social mainstream. The roles of the pressure groups in the UK reflect the social model of disability because the emancipation of people with disability through the rights movement has encouraged a change in the attitude of people towards people with disabilities. Empowerment and citizenship have been encouraged by various groups to enhance independent living (Salway et al, 2011). This helps to reduce incidences of discrimination against people with disabilities in the society; hence changing the way people see people with disabilities. The social environment where people with disabilities live was once hostile, and continues to be challenging. However, with the advocacy and empowerment from pressure groups, people are starting to embrace citizenship and disabled people are starting to become part of the society rather than being secluded. The UK disability rights have been some of the primary goals of various pressure groups since 1970s. The first pressure group was the Union of the Physically Impaired against Segregation which was formed in 1970s. The group evolved, and others joined as the fight for the liberty of people with disabilities became a major concern. Today, pressure groups are engaged in advocacy for welfare reforms, campaigns, and cut backs. Pressure groups are moving from medical model of disability to social models (Zaretsky et al, 2005). They are fighting against environmental and social barriers rather than individual impairments. They are fighting for rights, and not charity. Pressure groups are now focusing on how people with disabilities can be supported to take control of their lives, rather than supporting them to meet their physical needs. This is encouraged through citizenship, whereby people with disabilities act as equal citizens carrying out economic activities to meet their own needs. Involvement have also participation has also been encouraged by pressure groups through emancipations, campaigns and empowerment. Inclusivity has also been advocated through anti-discriminatory campaigns. These actions have caused disability to be viewed as a social movement. References list Batshaw, M.L. 1997, Children with disabilities, MD: Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore. Eide, A.H., & Ingstad, B. 2011, Disability and poverty, Policy, Bristol. Emerson, E. 2004, The international handbook of applied research in intellectual disabilities, Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex, England. Hills, G. 2012, The Equality Act for educational professionals: A simple guide to disability inclusion in schools, Routledge, London. Mitra, S., Posarac, A. and Vick, B. 2011, Disability and Poverty in Developing Countries: A Snapshot from the World Health Survey, SP Discussion Paper, World Bank. Nidirect 2014, Definition of ‘Disability’, Accessed January 14, 2014 from http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/definition-of-disability. O'Brien, C. 2011, “Equality's false summits: New varieties of disability discrimination, “excessive” equal treatment and economically constricted horizons”, European Law Review, vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 26-50. Salway, S., Platt, L., Harriss, K., & Chowbey, P. 2007, “Long-term health conditions and Disability Living Allowance: exploring ethnic differences and similarities in access”, Sociology of Health & Illness, Vol. 29, No. 6, pp. 907-930. Wilson, M. 2010, Disabilities affecting learning, Greenhaven Press, Farmington Hills, MI. Zaretsky, H.H., Richter, E.F. and Eisenberg, M.G. 2005, Medical aspects of disability: a handbook for the rehabilitation professional, Springer Pub, New York, NY. Read More