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Increases in wheelchair use and perceptions of disablement
- Authors:
- SAPEY Bob, STEWART John, DONALDSON Glenis
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 20(5), August 2005, pp.489-505.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Between 1986 and 1995, there appeared to be a 100% increase in the number of wheelchair users in England and Wales. This article reports some of the findings of a study designed to explore the social implications of this increase. Specifically, it examines the various explanations for the increases and concludes that whilst demographic changes or research methodologies are not responsible, the more likely causes are changing prescription practice, medical advances and changing attitudes to disablement. The article then explores the latter explanation by examining perceptions of wheelchair use, contrasting clinical and user views gained from in-depth interviews. It also reports findings from part of a large-scale postal survey of wheelchair users, which examined their attitudes toward different models of disability. It concludes that the responses of a large majority of wheelchair users of all ages are better explained by the social model of disability than any other.
Out of touch: local government and disabled people's employment needs
- Authors:
- PIGGOTT Linda, SAPEY Bob, WILENIUS Fred
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 20(6), October 2005, pp.599-611.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
In autumn 2003 the authors contracted to undertake a study in two district council areas of ways in which they could meet their Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) targets in respect of disabled people returning to work. The authors undertook a literature review of barriers to work, interviewed a number of people involved in working with unemployed people and a number of disabled people in these areas. All the employment organisations we had contact with were working to an individual model of disability and the need to change their orientation became the central recommendation of the first phase of this study. This was rejected by those funding the study. At the end of the first year none of the organisations active in this area was able to identify a single disabled person who had returned to work as a result of their help. We conclude that central government policies are doing little to change the perception of the employment needs of disabled people within local government.