Community Attitude toward People with Disability: A Case Study at Jamasi in the Sekyere South District of Ashanti Region-Ghana

Abstract

People with disability are among the poorest and most vulnerable in developing countries. The study sought to examine society's attitude towards people with disability, challenges faced by people with disability (access to social facilities), extent of involvement of disabled people in decision making and community participation and employment opportunities for person with disability. The study adopted a mixt method approach when data was collected mainly through questionnaire administered to one hundred (100) respondents (community members) and interview with 15 persons with disability in the Jamasi community vocational school for disability in Ghana. The study found that persons with disability in the community faced a lot of challenges ranging from poor basic facilities lack of participation in community decision making, and lack of employment. PWDs face discriminations throughout the community. From their own social environment, transportation services, access to medical care, nature of their buildings etc all were very un-supportive to their condition as revealed by the research. It was recommended that public facilities should be disability friendly.  The study further concluded that persons living with disability in the Jamasi community often go through a lot of difficulty in accessing the social facilities and lack employment opportunities; hence policy makers should come to their aid.