Understanding Disability in the field of Social Work

In this post, comprehending disability is briefly discussed, spanning the full spectrum from the definition of disability to the different sorts of disabilities, their severity, frequency, and causes.

Introduction
Definition of Disability:
Types of Disabilities:
Magnitude of Disability:
Prevalence of Disability in India:
Causes of Disability

Introduction

The concept of "disability" is regarded as being inherent to the human experience. Every person eventually experiences some type of temporary or permanent disability in their daily lives. People with chronic disability who live to an advanced age typically struggle more and more to operate normally and integrate into society. Since people without any type of disability in them assumed responsibility for mutual support and concern, the joint family system that predated modern society was a wonderful source of warmth, caring, and support for those living with disabilities. Due to the extremely low number of persons in joint families today, the nuclear family system is becoming a significant barrier for people with disabilities. Today's society sympathises with them but perceives them as unproductive and bothersome. In many families, the state of handicap is connected to religious belief and is seen as a "curse" placed on the family by the supernatural. The population of people with disabilities now lives a completely reliant and unproductive life as a result of all these myths and branding. The physical and social conditions are hampered by this incapacitating condition, which also makes it difficult for people to participate fully in society and to take advantage of equal rights and opportunities.

Definition of Disability:

Disability varies in nature, shape, and intensity, making it challenging to characterise. Therefore, a thorough awareness of the differences between each form of disability is necessary in order to understand disability.
The term "disability" is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially affects one or more of the major life activities of such an individual by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice, 1991.
The notions of impairment, disability, and handicap are distinguished in three ways by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1976).
Any loss or abnormality in a person's psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function is considered an impairment.
Any limitation or lack of capacity to do an activity in a way that is thought to be normal for a human being is referred to as a disability.
A handicap is an impediment or a disability that, for a particular person, prevents them from performing a role that would otherwise be deemed normal for someone of that person's age, sex, social background, and culture.
According to the Person with Disability Act of 1995, a person is considered to have a disability if they have at least 40% of any disability, as determined by a medical authority.

Types of Disabilities:

The following are a few of the more prevalent categories of disabilities In India:

Blindness
Low vision
Leprosy cured
Hearing Impairment
Locomotor Disabilities
Mental Retardation and
Mental Illness
Learning Disabilities
Multiple Disabilities
Cerebral Palsy and
Multisensory Impairments
Autism
Dwarfism
Deaf-blindness
Muscular Dystrophy
Physical Disabilities

Magnitude of Disability:

Disability is a widespread problem that affects a sizable part of people in human society. According to estimates, population growth is happening quickly. Though uneven, the growth continues. The growth is predicted to be greater than 50% in less developed countries, whereas there will be no increase in more developed regions. The oldest age groups show the most noticeable growth. This substantial rise in the number of people 65 and older will undoubtedly have an impact on the prevalence of disability in the future, as impairment is thought to be more prevalent among the elderly.

It might be challenging to detect cases of handicap in children before they are a few months older. Many newborns and young children with disabilities pass away before they are publicly or medically acknowledged as such. The rate of infant mortality is higher in emerging nations like India. The prevalence of disabilities among the most vulnerable populations, including children, adolescents, women, and the elderly, is associated with increased risks of human rights violations and restricted access to the necessities of life. They receive very poor information on the socialising process. They are kept out of society at large and continue to live alone. These groups are subjected to various sorts of mistreatment, exploitation, and inhumane treatment that diminishes their dignity and value.

Prevalence of Disability in India:

There are a total of 21,906,769 individuals with disabilities residing in India, according to the Census of 2001. This number comprises people with visual, hearing, speech, locomotor, and mental problems, with 12,605,635 men and 9,301,134 women. 2.13 percent of the overall population is represented by this. People with disabilities make up a sizable section of the population in rural areas. According to the National Sample Survey organisation, 10.63% of people with disabilities have more than one form of disability.

According to Patel et al. (2009)'s analysis of the data gathered by the National Sample Survey Organization in 2002, locomotor disabilities are the most common kind of disabilities in India that impact people of all ages. According to a survey, the prevalence of mental disability is higher among people who are working, and the prevalence of visual and hearing disabilities is highest among the elderly. While visual and hearing impairments tend to manifest later in life, further onset locomotor and speech impairments primarily emerge at young ages. The peak age for the onset of mental impairments is younger working age populations. The majority of people with severe disabilities are older.

Physical, economic, and social restrictions that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society and from taking use of the same opportunities and rights as other citizens make their lives unpleasant. As a result, the issue of disability has a significant social component when it comes to the interaction between the disabled person and his or her surroundings. The relationship with the environment, rather than the physical, sensory, or mental condition, dictates how a person's disability affects their daily life.

Causes of Disability:

Disability issues in people can have a wide range of different causes. They can be broadly divided into three categories:

Hereditary
Congenital and
Adventitious (Acquired)

Hereditary:
The nature of inherited disorders is often misunderstood in the minds of ordinary people. Common people frequently confuse the terms familial, congenital, and hereditary. The three terms are nevertheless very distinct from one another, despite this. A congenital or family problem may not even be inherited. A hereditary flaw is one that is passed on from parent to child as a result of some type of disruption in the normal function of the genetic machinery. Even while a certain ailment may run in the family, it may not show symptoms right away, not for many years, or not at all in the affected person's close relatives. Gene mutations transmit hereditary defects from one generation to the next. In India, there is a dearth of factual information regarding disabilities brought on by inherited defects. The practise of exogamy, which prevents people from marrying within their immediate family and makes up the majority of India's population, may be the key to reducing the prevalence of inherited disorders among Hindus.
Congenital:
Birth defects are referred to as congenital defects. Not all birth abnormalities are inherited. The majority of them are a result of environmental variables, dietary inadequacies, chemical factors, and other elements that are environmental in nature.
The following factors contribute to some congenital abnormalities.
> Maternal Malnourishment
> Maternal Infection:
> The Rh Factor:
> Diseases
> Radiations:
> Chemical Agents
> Glandular Disorder of the Mother
> Mechanical Factors
Adventitious (Acquired):
The defects may be acquired due to conditions such as
(a) birth injuries
(b) Pathological Condition and disease
(c) accidents
(d) Nutrition deficiencies
(e) defective postures
(f) consequences of war or Disaster
(g) Poverty and
(h) other causes.