Measuring Disability Inclusion: Feasibility of Using Existing Multidimensional Poverty Data in South Africa

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Public Health
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Measuring disability inclusion is crucial for understanding societal participation and support needs.
• Existing frameworks may not adequately capture the multifaceted nature of disability inclusion.
• Assessing inclusion levels across different disability severities is essential for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel framework for measuring disability inclusion.
• To examine the relationship between disability severity and inclusion levels.
• To assess the feasibility of applying this framework using existing datasets.

Main Methods:

• Developed a framework operationalized with indicators from the Individual Deprivation Measure South Africa.
• Utilized the Washington Group Short Set of questions to categorize disability status (none, mild, moderate/severe).
• Analyzed associations between disability severity and various inclusion domains.

Main Results:

• Individuals with disabilities reported significantly lower inclusion outcomes compared to those without disabilities.
• A gradient of inclusion was observed, with moderate/severe disabilities associated with worse outcomes than mild disabilities.
• The study identified limitations in using pre-existing datasets for disability inclusion measurement.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework offers a viable method for assessing disability inclusion.
• Disability severity is a significant factor influencing an individual's level of social and personal inclusion.
• Further research should refine measurement tools and explore dataset limitations for disability inclusion studies.