Resilience among Persons With Disability in the awake of covid 19 pandemic in Apac District
Abstract
The study sought to examine the resilience among persons with disability in the awake of
COVID 19 pandemic in Apac District. The specific objectives were; to identify the socioeconomic
challenges persons with disabilities face in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, to
examine the psychological challenges that came as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic among
persons with disabilities and to identify coping styles used by the person with disabilities in the
awake of COVID 19 pandemic. The study was a mixed method using both quantitative and
qualitative approaches. The study employed a survey design using descriptive statistics. Data
was collected the sample of 40 participant. Of these, 35 were persons with disabilities and 5
were key informants. The researcher used questionnaires and key informant guides for data
collection. Data analysis involved computations and coding to translate question responses into
specific categories. The coded quantitative items were entered into Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis for quantitative data and qualitative data was analyzed
using content analysis. In background characteristics, persons with disability with secondary
education and above had better networks and job opportunities that were instrumental in their
coping. Thus, fostering resilience to shocks should prioritize promoting access to secondary
education and above. For these persons’ resilience to be built and to enable them withstand
shock in the event of crises such as COVID-19, any resilience building interventions need to
take into account their disability types since these are key determinants of variations in
vulnerability. Persons with particular difficulties are hit harder than the others. Thus, resilient
building interventions ought to take stock of these differences.