How inclusive were strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for people with disabilities? Evidence from qualitative research in eight low- and middle-income countries
Issued Date
2025-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
14759276
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105004269154
Journal Title
International Journal for Equity in Health
Volume
24
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal for Equity in Health Vol.24 No.1 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Hunt X., Marks S., Hameed S., Srisuppaphon D., Diez-Canseco F., Riewpaiboon W., Viriyathorn S., Tangcharoensathien V., Goyal D., Smythe T., Khan R.S., Ngoc L.A., Ganle J., Tetali S., Huq L., Shakespeare T., Ilkkursun Z., Acarturk C., Mai V.Q., Banks L.M. How inclusive were strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for people with disabilities? Evidence from qualitative research in eight low- and middle-income countries. International Journal for Equity in Health Vol.24 No.1 (2025). doi:10.1186/s12939-025-02482-7 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/110094
Title
How inclusive were strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for people with disabilities? Evidence from qualitative research in eight low- and middle-income countries
Author's Affiliation
Ramathibodi Hospital
Public Health Foundation of India
CRONICAS Centro de Excelencia en Enfermedades Crónicas
Hanoi School of Public Health
Hanoi Medical University
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
South African Medical Research Council
International Health Policy Program, Thailand
University of Ghana
The Nelson R. Mandela Medical School
Thailand Ministry of Public Health
BRAC University
Koç Üniversitesi
Stellenbosch University
Public Health Foundation of India
CRONICAS Centro de Excelencia en Enfermedades Crónicas
Hanoi School of Public Health
Hanoi Medical University
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
South African Medical Research Council
International Health Policy Program, Thailand
University of Ghana
The Nelson R. Mandela Medical School
Thailand Ministry of Public Health
BRAC University
Koç Üniversitesi
Stellenbosch University
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: From the outset of the pandemic there were calls to ensure people with disabilities were included in prevention and response measures, given their increased risk of health consequences from COVID-19 infection. This study sought to explore people with disabilities’ experiences of inclusion in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to understand how such responses can be more inclusive in the future. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 372 people with disabilities and their caregivers in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Peru, Thailand, Türkiye (with Syrian refugees), Viet Nam, and Zimbabwe between 1 December 2020 and 28 February 2023, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The study found that people with disabilities demonstrated high levels of knowledge about COVID-19 and were willing to adhere to prevention measures. However, participants noted that countries’ COVID-19 responses were largely not inclusive of people with disabilities; that pandemic information was seldom available in accessible formats; and that adhering to social distancing and other mandates was challenging and incurred personal and economic costs. Conclusions: Consequently, the pandemic compounded existing barriers and inaccessibility experienced by people with disabilities and contributed to inequality.