Examining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on community engagement for people with mobility disabilities.
Lyndsie M Koon, Lillie Greiman, Jonathan A Schulz and 3 others
PMID 34531174WHAT IT FOUND
Most people with mobility disabilities reported their access to family and friends worsened during the pandemic.
They also faced barriers to food, transportation, and employment, relying on technology to stay connected despite frequent issues with internet reliability and cost.
Key findings
01Twenty-eight of the thirty-nine participants reported that their access to family and friends worsened during the pandemic, while ten said it had not changed.
02Twenty-two participants reported worsened access to food and groceries due to scarcity or fear of exposure, while seventeen reported no change.
03Sixteen participants reported worsened access to transportation, often due to fear of exposure or reduced paratransit services, while twenty-one reported no change.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (N = 39) and drawn from only two geographic regions, limiting how well the findings apply to people with mobility disabilities in other areas. Participants were already enrolled in a community-living intervention, which may mean they had different support needs or experiences than the general population with mobility disabilities. The sample was predominantly female and identified as Caucasian, reducing generalizability to men and other racial groups. The survey did not define 'community engagement' specifically, so participants interpreted the term based on their own experiences.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RT5043). The contents do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings apply to all people with mobility disabilities. The sample was small, geographically limited, and drawn from a specific intervention program, so the barriers reported may not reflect the experiences of those without similar support services or in other regions.