Knowledge and Attitudes of Healthcare Professionals Regarding Disabilities in Eastern India

Globally, a substantial portion of the population lives with significant disabilities. Despite advancements, individuals with disabilities continue to experience poorer health outcomes, often due to inadequate knowledge and attitudes among healthcare providers. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding disabilities in a tertiary care setting.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among healthcare professionals using an online questionnaire. The survey assessed their knowledge of disability-related laws, attitudes regarding inclusion, and perceptions of responsibilities toward persons with disabilities (PwD).

The study included 126 (54.5%) female participants, of which nurses comprised 146 (63.2%), followed by doctors (n=66, 28.6%) and support staff (n=19, 8.2%). Gender differences showed males had greater awareness of Government of India schemes (n=12, 11.4% in males vs. n=2, 1.6% in females, p = 0.002), while female participants demonstrated better understanding of healthcare responsibilities (p = 0.043) and stronger support for free healthcare for PwD (n=88, 69.8% vs. n=60, 57.1%, p = 0.045]. Doctors had higher knowledge of disability certification (n=18, 27.3%) than nurses (n=24, 14.4%) (p = 0.023), while 141 (85.5%) nurses and support staff supported equal social opportunities compared to 34 (51.5%) doctors (p = 0.001). The average knowledge and attitude scores were 5.1±1.6 and 7.6±2.6, respectively, with a moderate positive correlation between the two (r = 0.388, p < 0.001).

Healthcare personnel demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and attitudes toward disabilities, with nursing officers excelling in attitudes and doctors in certification knowledge. Gaps in legal and scheme awareness underscore the need for targeted training to enhance inclusion.