Attitude towards, contact with people with disabilities and knowledge of disability among health science undergraduates in a Nigerian university

Abstract

Background: This study assessed health sciences undergraduates’ attitude towards and contact with people with disability (PWDs), knowledge of disability as well as their association with each of gender, ethnicity, level and program of study. Methods: Using a stratified random sampling technique, 267 undergraduates of the College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, responded to this cross sectional survey yielding a response rate of 89%. A structured self-administered questionnaire on attitude towards, contact with PWDs and knowledge of disability was used to assess attitude, contact and knowledge of the respondents. Procedure was explained to respondents who consented for this study and data were subsequently obtained. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics at p˂ 0.05. Results: Sixty-two point nine percent of the respondents had positive attitude towards PWDs with the majority being females (68.9%), students of Igbo ethnicity (89.7%), fourth year students (86.1%) and nursing students (70.5%). Over 70% had good knowledge of disability however, the majority (91.4%) had little or no contact with PWDs. Knowledge of disability was significantly associated with respondents’ ethnicity (X2= 30.0; p= 0.04), level of study (X2= 53.4; p= 0.01) and contacts with PWDs (X2= 144.1; p= 0.04). Also, there was a relationship between the attitude towards PWDs and knowledge of disability of respondents (r= 0.184; p= 0.00). Conclusion: The authors therefore concluded that Nigerian health sciences’ undergraduates have positive attitude towards PWDs, good knowledge of disability but low contact with PWDs.