02617nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001653001500042653001000057653002800067653001200095653002200107653003200129653001100161653004200172653001100214653001600225653001200241653001000253653002100263653002600284653003100310653001600341100001600357700001600373700001800389700001200407700001400419700001300433245007300446300001100519490000700530520169200537022001402229       2013                            d10aAdolescent10aAdult10aCross-Sectional Studies10aCulture10aDisabled Children10aDiscrimination (Psychology)10aFemale10aHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice10aHumans10aMiddle Aged10aMothers10aNepal10aRural Population10aSocioeconomic Factors10aSurveys and Questionnaires10aYoung Adult1 aSimkhada PP1 aShyangdan D1 aTeijlingen ER1 aKadel S1 aStephen J1 aGurung T00aWomen's knowledge of and attitude towards disability in rural Nepal.  a606-130 v353 a<p><strong>PURPOSE: </strong>What is perceived to be a disability is both culturally specific and related to levels of development and modernity. This paper explores knowledge and attitudes towards people with disabilities among rural women in Nepal, one of the poorer countries in South Asia.</p>

<p><strong>METHOD: </strong>Four hundred and twelve married women of reproductive age (aged 15-49 years), from four villages in two different parts of Nepal, who had delivered a child within the last 24 months preceding the study, completed a standard questionnaire.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The majority of the participants only considered physical conditions that limit function of an individual and are visible to naked eyes, such as missing a leg or arm, to be disability. Attitudes towards people with disability were generally positive, for example most women believed that disabled people should have equal rights and should be allowed to sit on committees or get married. Most respondents thought that disability could result from: (i) accidents; (ii) medical conditions; or (iii) genetic inheritance. Fewer women thought that disability was caused by fate or bad spirits.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>There is need to educate the general population on disability, especially the invisible disabilities. There is also a need for further research on disability and its social impact.</p>

<p><strong>IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: </strong>• There is need to educate the general population on disability, especially the invisible disabilities and its rehabilitation. There is also a need for further research on disability and its social impact.</p>
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