How do municipality employees in Ankara approach persons with disabilities?

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Municipalities have a crucial role in the adaptation of urban spaces, buildings, and public services for full use by persons with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the attitudes toward persons with disabilities in municipal employees. METHODS: This descriptive study included 338 municipal employees of a major municipality in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected via a questionnaire and the Attitude towards Persons with Disabilities Scale (ATPDS) (Dokmen, 2000). Descriptive statistics, the t test, ANOVA, and ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Among the participants, 5.1% had some type of disability, 15.0% had a family member with a disability, and 6.9% cared for a person with a disability. Pity was the most common feeling (30.6%) toward persons with disabilities. Mean ATPDS score was 115.6 ± 15.1 out of 150. The attitudes of the employees with a family member or a friend with a disability, as well as those of the employees that had cared for a person with a disability were more favorable than their counterparts (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings showed that close contact and interaction with persons with disabilities were associated with more positive attitudes. Therefore, promoting positive attitudes among municipal employees and the development of a supportive organizational culture with respect to the rights of persons with disabilities may be useful. Interventions aimed at increasing awareness of and interaction with persons with disabilities may improve the attitudes of municipal employees, and consequently improve the services municipalities provide to persons with disabilities.