Using a participatory action strategic approach to enhance accessibility and participation in arts and cultural events: results of four focus groups
| Autor: | Els R. Nieuwenhuijsen, Carolyn L. Grawi, Nancy Vandewiele Milligan |
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| Rok vydání: | 2012 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Adolescent Universities Culture Public Policy Midwestern United States Young Adult International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health Health care Pedagogy Humans Disabled Persons Sociology Built environment Aged Aged 80 and over Health Services Needs and Demand Organizations business.industry Information Dissemination Information sharing Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Social Support Citizen journalism Architectural Accessibility General Medicine Public relations Awareness Focus Groups Middle Aged Focus group Social Isolation Action plan Needs assessment Environment Design Female business Art |
| Zdroj: | Disability and health journal. 7(1) |
| ISSN: | 1876-7583 |
| Popis: | Background Cultural events are abundant in a midwestern college town; however, individuals with disabilities have expressed concerns about their accessibility. Policymakers, business owners, and managers often ignore disability-related issues. Research shows accessibility is the main environmental barrier to participation in arts and cultural events. Individuals with disabilities are disconnected from managers of cultural organizations and city leaders. The lack of awareness about accessibility, including access to the built environment, impedes participation in cultural events in this college town. Objectives To encourage the participation of people with disabilities in cultural events in a midwestern college town, a bold strategic project was initiated to conduct a community-based needs assessment as a foundation for an action plan. Participation in arts and culture was selected as a unique focal point for exploring ways to enhance accessibility. Methods Thirty-nine stakeholders participated in four different focus groups: individuals with disabilities, managers of cultural organizations, caregivers and health care providers, and other stakeholders including politicians. Critical problem areas identified were mapped onto the environmental factors in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Results Three themes emerged: 1) limited awareness about accessibility among the residents with disabilities and a lack of awareness about disability-related issues and accessibility among the managers of cultural organizations; 2) the need for a “central information clearinghouse” to share, provide, and retrieve information; 3) the need for inclusive city-level policies. Conclusions Raising awareness about disabilities and accessibility, providing a clearinghouse for information sharing and implementing inclusive policies are crucial to strengthen participation in community life. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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