Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T14:16:48.539Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Participation in Work Life and Access to Public Transport – Lived Experiences of People with Disabilities in Sweden

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2012

Rafael Lindqvist  and
Jörgen Lundälv
Rafael Lindqvist*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
Jörgen Lundälv
Affiliation:
Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden and Department of Surgery and Perioperative Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
*
Address for correspondence: Rafael Lindqvist, Department of Sociology, Uppsala University, P.O Box 624, 751 26Uppsala. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This study explores accessibility to public transport facilities and participation in work life experienced by persons with physical and cognitive impairments. Participants were 21 persons with mobility (n = 6), neuropsychiatric (n = 6), hearing (n = 7), or visual impairments (n = 2) (males = 11, females = 10; age range = 16 to 79). Data were collected using focus group discussions and thematically analysed. The findings point to significant physical, social/attitudinal and communication limitations to the access of public transportation and participation in work life. While participants with physical impairments emphasised lack of accessibility in terms of transport accommodations, persons with neuropsychiatric impairments focused on the social and interactional aspects of public transport. Work life participation was mostly impacted by lack of flexibility in work tasks and work organisation, and fear of being misunderstood and perceived as incapable.

Keywords

accessibilitydesign featurespublic transportwork climatepersons with impairmentslived experiencegrounded theory
Type
Brief Report
Information
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , December 2012 , pp. 148 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Charmaz, K. (2003). Grounded theory. In Smith, J.A. (ed.), Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods (pp. 81–110). London: Sage.Google Scholar
Coniavitis Gellerstedt, L., & Danermark, B. (2004). Hearing impairment, working life conditions and gender. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 6 (3), 225–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drake, R. (2001). Welfare states and disabled people. In Albrecht, G., Seelman, K.D., & Bury, M., (Eds.), Handbook of Disability Studies. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Ebersold, S. (2007). An affiliating participation for an active citizenship. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 9 (3–4), 237–253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glaser, B.G., & Strauss, A.L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Hedvall, P-O. (2009). The Activity Diamond. Modeling an Enhanced Accessibility. Doctoral Thesis. Certec, Centrum för rehabiliteringsteknik. Department of Design Sciences, LTH. Lund: Lund University, Sweden.Google Scholar
Jarhag, S., Nilsson, G., & Werning, M. (2009). Disabled persons and the labor market in Sweden. Social Work Public Health 24 (3), 255–272.Google ScholarPubMed
Lindsay, S. (2011). Discrimination and other barriers to employment for teens and young adults with disabilities. Disability Rehabilitation, 33 (15–16), 1340–1350.Google Scholar
Magill-Evans, J., Galambos, N., Darrah, J., & Nickerson, C. (2008). Predictors of employment for young adults with developmental motor disabilities. Work, 31 (4), 433–442.Google ScholarPubMed
Pagán, R. (2009). Self-employment among people with disabilities: evidence for Europe. Disability & Society, 24 (2), 217–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prop 1999/200:79. Från patient till medborgare. En nationell handlingsplan för handikappolitiken. (From patient to citizen. A national action plan for disability policies.)Google Scholar
Shier, M., Graham, J.R., & Jones, M.E. (2009). Barriers to employment as experienced by disabled people: a qualitative analysis in Calgary and Regina, Canada. Disability & Society, 24 (1), 63–75.Google Scholar
SOU 2001:56. Funktionshinder och välfärd. Forskarantologi från Kommittén Välfärdsbokslut. Socialdepartementet. Stockholm: Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU).Google Scholar
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. London: Sage.Google Scholar
The United Nations (2006). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Geneva: The United Nation.Google Scholar
Trafikanalys (2010). Färdtjänst och riksfärdtjänst 2009 (Special transport services and Inter-municipal transport service 2009). Statistik 2010:8. Stockholm: Trafikanalys.Google Scholar
World Health Organisation & The World Bank. (2011). World Report on Disability. Geneva: World Health Organisation, The World Bank.Google Scholar