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Journal of Behavioral Health and Psychology

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Attitude toward contact with people with disabilities and knowledge of disability among health science undergraduates in a Nigerian University

Olumide Ayoola Olaoye, Barakat A. Oduola, Tunde Julius Alonge, Anne A. I. Emechete

Abstract

Background: This study assessed health sciences undergraduates attitude toward and contact with people with disability (PWD), knowledge of disability (KD) 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 toward contact with PWDs and KD 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: About 62.9% of the respondents had positive attitude toward PWDs with the majority being females (68.9%), students of Igbo ethnicity (89.7%), 4th year students (86.1%) and nursing students (70.5%). Over 70% had good KD, however, the majority (91.4%) had little or no contact with PWDs. KD was significantly associated with respondents ethnicity (χ2 = 8.57; P < 0.05) and year of study (χ2 = 38.34; P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a relationship between the attitude toward PWDs and KD of respondents (r = 0.24; P < 0.001). Conclusion: The authors, therefore, concluded that Nigerian health sciences undergraduates have positive attitude toward PWDs, good KD but low contact with PWDs.