How inclusive were strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for people with disabilities? Evidence from qualitative research in eight low- and middle-income countries

Hunt X.; Marks S.; Hameed S.; Srisuppaphon D.; Diez-Canseco F.; Riewpaiboon W.; Viriyathorn S.; Tangcharoensathien V.; Goyal D.; Smythe T.; Khan R.S.; Ngoc L.A.; Ganle J.; Tetali S.; Huq L.; Shakespeare T.; Ilkkursun Z.; Acarturk C.; Mai V.Q.; Banks L.M. · International Journal for Equity in Health (2025) · DOI: 10.1186/s12939-025-02482-7

Resumen

Background: From the outset of the pandemic there were calls to ensure people with disabilities were included in prevention and response measures, given their increased risk of health consequences from COVID-19 infection. This study sought to explore people with disabilities’ experiences of inclusion in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to understand how such responses can be more inclusive in the future. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 372 people with disabilities and their caregivers in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Peru, Thailand, Türkiye (with Syrian refugees), Viet Nam, and Zimbabwe between 1 December 2020 and 28 February 2023, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The study found that people with disabilities demonstrated high levels of knowledge about COVID-19 and were willing to adhere to prevention measures. However, participants noted that countries’ COVID-19 responses were largely not inclusive of people with disabilities; that pandemic information was seldom available in accessible formats; and that adhering to social distancing and other mandates was challenging and incurred personal and economic costs. Conclusions: Consequently, the pandemic compounded existing barriers and inaccessibility experienced by people with disabilities and contributed to inequality. © The Author(s) 2025.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia