Background: Endometriosis, a chronic inflammatory condition where endometrial cells grow outside the uterus, affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age. The prevalence is higher among women experiencing infertility or chronic pelvic pain. Research supports physical activity and physical therapy interventions such as manual therapy, pelvic floor strengthening, kinesiotherapy, and electrotherapy as effective in managing endometriosis symptoms.
Objective: To determine the awareness regarding the role of physical therapy in endometriosis among gynecologists.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2023 with 100 obstetricians and gynecologists in Lahore, including 34 PGRs, 13 MOs, 27 Senior Residents, and 26 Associate Professors. Sixty-two participants were from private hospitals, and 38 were from government hospitals. Data was collected using a pre-tested, 22-item self-administered questionnaire, with written consent obtained from participants. Non-probability convenient sampling was applied.
Results: The study showed that most participants (82.0%) agreed on the need for awareness of physical therapy’s effectiveness in managing endometriosis, with 31.0% strongly agreeing, 51.0% agreeing, 10.0% neutral, and a small percentage (8.0%) disagreeing.
Conclusion: Most respondents recognized the role and benefits of physical therapy as a complementary treatment. However, many gynecologists rarely refer patients to physical therapy or collaborate with physical therapists.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Therapeutics. Psychotherapy
Manel Ayadi, Nesrine Masmoudi, Latifa Almuqren
et al.
Recognizing handwritten Arabic writing poses unique challenges for individuals with visual impairments due to the diverse range of calligraphic styles employed. This paper presents a novel approach to enhance the precision of recognizing handwritten Arabic language. The method involves utilizing synthetic images created by an optimized generative adversarial network (GAN). A novel GAN architecture is introduced to effectively address the intricacies of Arabic script, considering its diverse forms, variations, and contextual intricacy. The generator is trained based on features such as size, orientation, and style using a conditional GAN architecture. Thanks to style embedding approaches that accurately capture the intricacies of Arabic calligraphy, the generator is now capable of producing text with a significantly enhanced level of authenticity. The Fréchet inception distance and the inception score are metrics utilized to assess the diversity and quality, respectively, of the generated images. The text recognition model is utilized as an inherent evaluation to examine the ability of the GAN to recognize handwritten Arabic text for visually impaired individuals. Utilizing transfer learning techniques and pre-trained convolutional neural networks to extract features enables the GAN to comprehend the patterns of Arabic writing. Hyperparameter tuning involves evaluating different learning rate schedules, batch sizes, denoising filters, and image enhancing techniques to maximize performance. The proposed model achieves an accuracy level of 0.99 and a validation loss level of 0.01 on the specified dataset. The results demonstrate that the proposed optimized GAN architecture is proficient at generating intricate synthetic handwritten Arabic text that closely resembles real-world examples. The internal evaluation findings demonstrate a substantial enhancement in recognition accuracy, thus confirming the effectiveness of the improvements made. This highlights the practical applicability of GANs in handwritten Arabic text recognition. This revolutionary approach based on GANs considers the intricacies of handwritten Arabic text. It enhances Arabic script recognition and creates opportunities for digitizing documents, preserving culture, and advancing natural language processing.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Stefania D. Petcu, Kathleen J. Marshall, Dalun Zhang
et al.
The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the college decision-making process for students with disabilities by listening to their perceptions of factors that influenced their decisions related to attending postsecondary education. A semi-structured interview was used to provide descriptive evidence from 20 college-going high school students with disabilities. Content analysis was utilized to evaluate the data collected. The results suggest that the factors influencing the college decision-making process of students without disabilities also influence the decision-making process of students with disabilities.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Handwriting impairment is a cardinal symptom of Parkinson’s. However, treatment options are limited. Here we evaluate the utility and estimate effects of a novel low-resource handwriting intervention (Clinicaltrials. gov NCT03369587). Forty-eight people with Parkinsons with self-reported handwriting problems were recruited to an exploratory, assessor-blind two-arm parallel randomized trial to either diverging (n = 24, n = 19 analysed) or parallel (n = 24, n = 20 analysed) groups. Both received a six-week, five times a week, handwriting program: writing a daily diary on lined paper (diverging: 10 mm increasing to 13 mm apart, parallel: 10 mm apart). Outcomes were measures of impairment (cursive ‘<i>el</i>’, single and dual-task), handwriting function (sentence and free writing) and self-reported difficulties. Median diary entries (31, IRQ: 17.5–39) were greater than requested (30) with no differences between groups, <i>p</i> = 0.302. No adverse events were reported. Regardless of group, improvements were found in writing ‘<i>el</i>’ speed (single task: <i>d</i> = −0.90, 95% CI: −1.41: −0.38, <i>p</i> = 0.001; dual task: <i>d</i> = −0.72, 95% CI: −1.24: −0.21, <i>p</i> = 0.09) and amplitude (single task: <i>d</i> = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.49: 1.66, <i>p</i> < 0.001; dual task: d = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.35: 1.37, <i>p</i> = 0.002). Sentence amplitude (<i>d</i> = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.30: 1.29, <i>p</i> = 0.003) and perceived difficulties also improved (OR = −3.6, 95% CI: −12.6: −1.0, <i>p</i> = 0.047). Between-group effects were small (<i>d</i> = 0.11 to 0.48). Large improvements to handwriting, which required less attention, were found after self-directed well-adhered-to practice. Potential additional benefits of exaggerated cueing were small.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Normal fuzzy sets and Pythagorean cubic fuzzy sets are the best means to deal with fuzziness. Combining both of these structures in our current work, we establish the idea of Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy set. We define some basic operational laws for Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy set and introduce a number of aggregation operators, including Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy weighted averaging operator, Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy weighted geometric operator, Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy order weighted averaging operator and Pythagorean cubic normal fuzzy order weighted geometric operator. We examine several favorable properties, including monotonicity, boundedness, and idempotency for the proposed operators. We develop an algorithm for the solution of multicriteria decision-making problems. Moreover, we propose an extended form of the TODIM (Portuguese acronym for Interactive Multi-Criteria Decision Making) method. We present a multicriteria decision-making example related to assessing the educational needs of students with disabilities. The techniques and operators defined in the current work provide greater generality and accuracy and give precise results. Ultimately, a detailed illustration is provided to show the closure process of these specified procedures and functions, demonstrating their credibility and efficacy.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
BACKGROUND: People with disabilities are underemployed. This improved recently, but how broadly across disability type? US law allows employers to pay people with disabilities far below minimum wage, typically in segregated settings (sheltered workshops), if employers hold federal 14(c) certificates. Almost everyone in 14(c) employment has an intellectual/developmental disability. Some states have eliminated sheltered workshops, and the Biden administration may propose phasing them out. This is controversial.OBJECTIVE: To examine employment patterns pre- and post-pandemic among people with disabilities and patterns in use of sheltered workshops.METHOD: We analyzed American Community Survey data on employment rate, by type of disability (or lack of disability), for 2010-2023, Department of Labor data on 14(c) subminimum wage certificates in Community Rehabilitation Programs for 2010-2024, and Department of Labor data on number of workers paid subminimum wages in such programs for 2015-2024.RESULTS: American Community Survey data show the disability employment gap narrowing post-pandemic for every disability category—but narrowing especially dramatically for people with cognitive disabilities. Long-term, the employment gap for people with cognitive disabilities narrowed in every state while Department of Labor data show 14(c) enrollment decreasing in every state.CONCLUSION: Research to inform public policy and hiring and retention practices should take advantage of the post-pandemic improvement in the employment gap for people with disabilities, especially cognitive disabilities, and marketing investments should promote them.
María del Carmen Rodríguez-Jiménez, Irene Puerta-Araña, Miriam Catalina González-Afonso
The purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of secondary school teacher training in order to identify existing needs and the resources currently available to respond to SENS and SEN students. A qualitative and descriptive research method was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out to gather information. The sample consisted of 45 teachers who were distributed throughout the autonomous community of the Canary Islands (Spain). The analysis was carried out using the qualitative data analysis programme MAXQDA, version 20. The main findings show that teachers, in general, do not feel prepared to deal with students with SEN and SENS and, therefore, ask for experts to support them in this task and for training in emotional education in order to acquire the competencies and skills for classroom management.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
BACKGROUND: People with disabilities are underemployed. This improved recently, but how broadly across disability type? US law allows employers to pay people with disabilities far below minimum wage, typically in segregated settings (sheltered workshops), if employers hold federal 14(c) certificates. Almost everyone in 14(c) employment has an intellectual/developmental disability. Some states have eliminated sheltered workshops, and the Biden administration may propose phasing them out. This is controversial.OBJECTIVE: To examine employment patterns pre- and post-pandemic among people with disabilities and patterns in use of sheltered workshops.METHOD: We analyzed American Community Survey data on employment rate, by type of disability (or lack of disability), for 2010-2023, Department of Labor data on 14(c) subminimum wage certificates in Community Rehabilitation Programs for 2010-2024, and Department of Labor data on number of workers paid subminimum wages in such programs for 2015-2024.RESULTS: American Community Survey data show the disability employment gap narrowing post-pandemic for every disability category—but narrowing especially dramatically for people with cognitive disabilities. Long-term, the employment gap for people with cognitive disabilities narrowed in every state while Department of Labor data show 14(c) enrollment decreasing in every state.CONCLUSION: Research to inform public policy and hiring and retention practices should take advantage of the post-pandemic improvement in the employment gap for people with disabilities, especially cognitive disabilities, and marketing investments should promote them.
Syed Zain Ul Abidin, Syeda Ayman Zaidi, Sara bukhari
et al.
Background: Neck pain is one of the most common and prevalent health problems which may interrupt an individual’s well-being and productivity, making it a serious public health issue even if the consequences aren’t severe. It is a topic of keen interest among health professionals/practitioners, executives and policy makers in the health sector.
Methodology: A was cross sectional survey was conducted over a time period of six months for determining the commonly used treatment approaches by the physical therapists of KP for neck pain For data collection census was performed, giving us the total sample of 120 which included all the physical therapists practicing in tertiary care and DHQ hospitals of KP. For data collection, a self-administered questionnaire from a previously published study was utilized. Frequency distribution was demonstrated with the help of percentages and counts while for comparing categorical variables, Chi-square test was utilized. To indicate Statistical significance, P value of <0.05 was used.
Results: A wide range of interventions including manual and exercises therapies were utilized. Electrotherapy, ergonomic and postural education along with work site modifications were also utilized. Exercises for postural control (87%), neck/upper thoracic stretching (79%), strengthening of neck/upper thoracic (75%) were also prescribed mostly while on the other hand local muscle endurance exercises (55%) and static or dynamic stabilization (45%) were utilized mostly where as hot and cold therapy (81%), TENS (69%) and ultrasound (70%) were most commonly used modalities.
Conclusion: Management of neck pain varied across the province with professionals following different protocols in their setups, which reflects lack of proper guidelines for the treatment of a specific condition which are proved by extensive research literature available already.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Therapeutics. Psychotherapy
Tehreem Jameel, Muhammad Haroon Asghar, Sana Aziz
et al.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy along with conventional therapy and conventional therapy alone on upper extremity spasticity and quality of life in children with cerebral palsy.
Methodology: Quasi experimental study. The research was carried out at Faisal Hospital and Children Hospital & Institute of Child Health in Faisalabad from April, 2022 to July 2022. After informed consent and complete evaluation, individuals who fulfill the inclusion criteria were considered for the study. A sample size of 46 were allocated within two groups with one receiving constraint induced movement therapy along with conventional therapy and other receiving conventional therapy alone three times a week for 4 weeks. The results were assessed at the first (week 0), second (week 2), and fourth (week 4) weeks following therapy using the modified Ashworth scale and the cerebral palsy quality of life questionnaire.
Results: The mean MAS scores (pre-treatment p > 0.05) was significantly at the second and fourth weeks following therapy (post treatment p < 0.05). Also, at the second and fourth post-treatment readings, (pre-treatment p > 0.05) there was a statistically significant improvement in the mean CPQOL scores (post treatment p < 0.05)
Conclusion: Both groups were proven efficient in reducing spasticity and demonstrated improvement in quality of life, however substantial improvement in results was reported in CIMT group.
Keywords: Cerebral Palsy, Spasticity, Health related Quality of life, Constraint Induced Movement Therapy, Conventional therapy.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Therapeutics. Psychotherapy
Background: South Africa adopted a policy on inclusive education in 2001 to ensure that all learners are accommodated and accepted in the classrooms despite their differences.
Objectives: This study was aimed at exploring the inclusion of learners with learning disabilities in mainstream primary schools for teaching and learning.
Method: This study followed a qualitative approach embedded in a descriptive phenomenological design. Data were generated through in-depth interviews with individual participants and were analysed thematically for content. Six teachers from six different mainstream primary school classrooms were purposefully selected for the study.
Results: Findings revealed that overcrowding, time constraints and lack of parental involvement impede the inclusion of learners with learning disabilities in mainstream classrooms. However, teachers use: (1) multi-level teaching, (2) concrete teaching and/or learning aids, (3) differentiated instruction and (4) code-switching in accommodating learners with learning disabilities.
Conclusion: This study argues that for learners with learning disabilities to be more included in mainstream classrooms, the learner population should be reduced to a maximum of 30 learners per class, and collaboration with parents should be enhanced. Also, the arrangement of learners for teaching and learning could be limited to small groups consisting of four to five learners. Multi-level teaching and differentiated instruction should be applied in settings that do not require learners to be separated from their peers without learning disabilities.
Contribution: This study will help improve teachers’ inclusive classroom pedagogical practices for all learners including those with learning disabilities.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Communities. Classes. Races
Mohammed Malih Radhi, Gossoon Juma Elywy, Qasim Abbas Khyoosh Al-Eqabi
Objectives: This study aims to identify the burdens among wives of disabled people in the light of some independent variables.
Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 197 domestic wives were surveyed using a standardized questionnaire to measure the burden among wives of disabled people. Data were collected using the independent variables and Zarit caregiver burden scale (ZCBS) for burden. The study was conducted using interview techniques and analyzed via SPSS software, version 20 using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.
Results: The study results showed that the average age was 35 years old, 30-39 years old, 52.3% were secondary school graduates, 68.5% were families with 1-4 children, 43.1% had insufficient income, and 61.4% were employed. Significant differences were observed in wives’ burdens in terms of their age, education level, family size, income, occupation, disability types, reasons, and duration (P<0.05).
Discussion: Wives of disabled people live under significant burdens influenced by different independent variables depending on individual differences. Decision makers should give employment priority to the wives of the disabled to protect the family and fulfill its needs, as well as the need to focus on societal awareness of disability and what the wife and family of the disabled suffer.
Coresponding author: Mohammed Malih Radhi, E-mail: mohammed.amri92@gmail.com
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Medicine, Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Maryam Khurshid, Neelam Ehsan, Mamoona Ismail Loona
et al.
Background: Physical disability of a female child by birth or by some injury in a family is very challenging for the parents and siblings. Present study is an attempt to explore the role of Perceived Stress and Psychological adjustment among parents of Physically Handicap girls. Objective: to explore the relationship between stress and psychological adjustment among parents of physically handicapped girls. Methodology: The sample consisted of n=40 parents of physically handicapped female children from the Nishtar hospital Multan. Snowball sampling technique was used for data collection. The parents of female physically disable children were included in the study. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (Cohen et al. 1988)) and Psychological Adjustment Scale were used to measure study variables. Results: There was a negative association between perceived stress and psychological adjustment (r=-0.77, p=0.01) among parents of handicapped girls. Results further suggested through t-test scores that fathers of handicapped girls were high on psychological adjustment as compared to mothers (p=0.01) and mothers were more under stress as compared to fathers (p=0.02). Conclusion: The Fathers and mothers of physically disabled female children are different in term of coping the level of stress as well as the fathers show more psychological adjustment as compare to mothers. Keywords: Disability, psychological Adjustment, Stress.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Sadra Ashrafi, Maryam Shabaani Mehr, Tahereh Khaleghdoost Mohammadi
et al.
Objectives: One of the most important problems seen in patients after stroke is that they cannot develop normal muscle strength. In recent years, the use of Mirror Therapy (MT) in the recovery of this condition has been noticed in different studies. This study investigated the effect of MT on motor recovery in patients after stroke.
Methods: In this clinical trial, 93 patients were divided into three groups, including MT, non-reflective surface, and control groups. The tools used in this study included the patient’s profile questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination Test, and Brunnstrom Recovery Stages. After the routine physiotherapy program, the intervention groups underwent MT for 20 sessions. The analysis of data was performed by SPSS software v. 22.
Results: There was a significant difference between the non-reflective surface and MT groups (P=0.043) in pairwise comparison of their motor recovery stages in the 20th session, but the difference between the non-reflective surface and control groups was not significant. There was also a significant statistical difference between the MT and control groups in motor recovery stages in the 20th session, (P=0.0332)
Conclusion: The obtained findings suggest that MT can increase patients’ motor recovery after stroke. This method can be used as a simple, cheap, and usable method at home.
Medicine, Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities
Ermien van Pletzen, Bryson Kabaso, Theresa Lorenzo
Background: Youth with disabilities encounter multiple barriers to livelihood opportunities and socio-economic inclusion. Research focusing on identifying and evaluating evidence-based strategies that may facilitate their transition into socio-economic participation is limited.
Objectives: The study undertook to contribute knowledge and evidence to inform inclusive socio-economic development of youth with disabilities and capacitation of community-based workers engaged in implementing the livelihood component of community-based rehabilitation programmes advocating for inclusive development.
Method: This qualitative exploratory case study used the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children Youth Version to analyse community-based workers’ knowledge and experience of the rural and peri-urban communities in which they worked in Botswana. It further analysed their activities, strategies and recommendations in response to environmental factors impacting the livelihood opportunities of youth with disabilities. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, following a life history and phenomenological approach. Data were analysed inductively using thematic content analysis.
Results: Community-based workers showed sufficient knowledge and experience of barriers and enablers in health, education and training, social development, employment and governance that facilitated or obstructed access to livelihood opportunities for youth with disability. Identifying more barriers than enablers, community-based workers adopted innovative strategies to sustain and strengthen their practices and activities in the livelihoods domain. They contributed recommendations, mainly aimed at government.
Conclusion: Community-based workers have the capacity to provide valuable evidence and design strategy to facilitate the socio-economic inclusion of youth with disabilities. They are particularly adept at intervening at local levels but do not have sufficient confidence or capacity to mobilise supportive community structures or to exert influence at the level of policy formulation, decision-making and implementation.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Communities. Classes. Races
Background: Living with blindness for anyone, whether educated or uneducated, rich or poor, with adequate support or without it is seriously limiting. The quality of life of people with blindness is significantly influenced by the level of resilience they possess. The status of resilience of adults with blindness living in Addis Ababa is not known.
Objectives: Against this backdrop, this study was designed to explore the level of resilience of Adults living with blindness. The influence of some demographics on resilience was also examined.
Method: Survey design was employed to carry out the intended objectives of this stud. Data was collected from a random sample of 220 adults with blindness living in Addis Ababa using Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-test and one way ANOVA followed by Scheffe post hoc comparisons were used to analyse the data.
Results: The results revealed that the level of resilience of adults with blindness was found below the average score with a mean score of 46.11. Participants’ gender, time of onset of blindness, marital status and education seemed to influence resilience of blind adults.
Conclusion: Adults having blindness currently living in Addis Ababa are less resilient than needed. Resilience of adults with blindness is differentiated by their demographic characteristics. These people need an integrated effort to enhance their resilience capacity by reducing the barriers and challenges they encounter and promoting protective resources through the different wings of disability related services.
Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities, Communities. Classes. Races
Hannah Rudstam, Wendy Strobel Gower, Sara Van Looy
BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, knowledge translation (KT) has emerged as a framework for turning research findings into actions which will improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: This article examines how the origins of KT in healthcare have shaped (and perhaps limited) how it has been conceptualized in the realm of disability and, more specifically, disability and employment. CONCLUSION: We focus on three questions. First, how have the origins of KT shaped the epistemological commitments informing its use in the realms of healthcare and disability? What features do these commitments draw attention to? What features do they render invisible? Second, the realm of disability is characterized by a more complex and disparate landscape of stakeholders than is the case in healthcare. Stakeholder groups are not simply neutral knowledge users. Each stakeholder group has a unique culture, discourse, epistemology and view of “success.” What does this mean for KT in the realm of disability? Third, the Knowledge-to-Action (K2A) Framework ( Graham et al., 2006 ) has been widely adopted in several realms: Healthcare, education, international development and disability. Given the unique challenges of KT in the realm of disability, how might the K2A Framework need to be adapted to strengthen its effectiveness?
The purpose of this article is to discuss six ideas that are currently impacting policy makers and service/support providers in the field of intellectual and closely related developmental disabilities. These six ideas are that people are influenced by multiple systems, disability should be approached holistically, disability policy needs to be approached systematically, supports should encompass elements of a system of supports, evaluation is multifaceted, and organizations need to transform to be sustainable.
Psychology, Vocational rehabilitation. Employment of people with disabilities