The intersection of disability and food security: Perspectives of health and humanitarian aid workers

African Journal of Disability

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The intersection of disability and food security: Perspectives of health and humanitarian aid workers
 
Creator Quarmby, Candice A. Pillay, Mershen
 
Subject speech-language pathology Disability; food security; feeding; swallowing; health care workers; humanitarian aid workers; speech-language therapy/therapy
Description Background: Most people with disabilities the world over can be found in the Majority (or ‘economically developing’) World. This is also where most of the world’s hungry and malnourished are found. We argue that the intersectionality between disability and nutrition may best be understood through a food security framework, and we position all people living with disability, including those experiencing feeding and swallowing disabilities, as at risk for food insecurity, especially those living in humanitarian emergency contexts.Objectives: This study aimed to explore and describe the knowledge and experience of humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) and health care professionals (HCPs) in food assistance contexts with regard to the nutrition and food security of people living with disabilities.Method: In this exploratory, descriptive study, 16 participants with experience in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia participated in an online survey. Three survey participants with extensive experience were also interviewed. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis.Results: Results revealed that participants had generally low levels of exposure to and experience with disability, including swallowing and feeding disorders.Conclusions: Reduced knowledge of HAWs and HCPs regarding disability and the lack of professionals such as speech–language therapists, who manage disability-specific issues such as feeding and swallowing disorders, may affect the food security of people living with disabilities in food assistance contexts.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2018-04-30
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/epub+zip application/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/ajod.v7i0.322
 
Source African Journal of Disability; Vol 7 (2018); 9 pages 2226-7220 2223-9170
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/322/792 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/322/791 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/322/793 https://ajod.org/index.php/ajod/article/view/322/790
 
Coverage Sub-Saharan Africa 2015 —
Rights Copyright (c) 2018 Candice A. Quarmby, Mershen Pillay https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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