Self versus context: the experience of mobility disability in the Romanian social and built environment

Abstract

Background: This study aims to investigate how people with mobility impairments in Romania experience disability, in the physical and social context they interact with on a daily basis. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven participants with various mobility disabilities such as paraplegia, spastic tetraparesis and hemiparesis, recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data is analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Expected results: Preliminary findings suggest important roles of family and friends in building independence. The continuous construction of normality by integrating disability into daily life is disrupted by perceptions of being labelled and pitied by people without disability. Participants expressed feelings of fear, frustration, and hopelessness regarding the limited accessibility of the built environment, which was perceived as an obstacle to independence lying outside the control of the individual. Current stage of work: Data analysis is in process. Discussion: Participants conceptualized disability as a specific context for „normal†people to live their lives in, and did not define their identities around it. They felt that the built environment and how they are viewed by others often contradict this representation, by limiting their independence and labelling them as incapable. Social support was presented as a resource in becoming visible and living a productive life. To the extent of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to propose an in-depth exploration of the experience of mobility disability in the physical and social context of Romania. These findings may serve in the future as guidelines in the development of health policies regarding disability.