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      Wheelchair accessibility to public buildings in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana

      research-article
      1 , , 1 , 2
      African Journal of Disability
      AOSIS

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          Abstract

          Background

          Accessibility implies making public places accessible to every individual, irrespective of his or her disability or special need, ensuring the integration of the wheelchair user into the society and thereby granting them the capability of participating in activities of daily living and ensuring equality in daily life.

          Objective

          This study was carried out to assess the accessibility of the physical infrastructures (public buildings) in the Kumasi metropolis to wheelchairs after the passage of the Ghanaian Disability Law (Act 716, 2006).

          Methods

          Eighty-four public buildings housing education facilities, health facilities, ministries, departments and agencies, sports and recreation, religious groups and banks were assessed. The routes, entrances, height of steps, grade of ramps, sinks, entrance to washrooms, toilets, urinals, automated teller machines and tellers’ counters were measured and computed.

          Results

          Out of a total of 84 buildings assessed, only 34 (40.5%) of the buildings, 52.3% of the entrances and 87.4% of the routes of the buildings were accessible to wheelchair users. A total of 25% (13 out of 52) of the public buildings with more than one floor were fitted with elevators to connect the different levels of floors.

          Conclusion

          The results of this study show that public buildings in the Kumasi metropolis are not wheelchair accessible. An important observation made during this study was that there is an intention to improve accessibility when buildings are being constructed or renovated, but there are no laid down guidelines as how to make the buildings accessible for wheelchair users.

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          Most cited references36

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          Accessibility, usability and universal design--positioning and definition of concepts describing person-environment relationships.

          The aim of this paper is to position, define and discuss three concepts crucial for research and practice concerning person-environment relationships, viz. accessibility, usability and universal design. Literature review, synthesized with the authors' research and practice experiences. The authors suggest an instrumental, three-step definition to accessibility, highlighting that accessibility comprises a personal as well as a environmental component, and that accessibility must be analysed by an integration of both. Suggesting the introduction of an activity component, accessibility should partly be replaced by the more complex term usability. Universal design is highlighted as a more process-oriented but less stigmatizing concept. This paper contributes to the positioning and definition of concepts describing person-environment relationships. The definitions suggested challenge current terminology, but can support in developing more efficient research and practice strategies. In order to develop theory for application to societal planning issues, the definition of concepts is a necessary step.
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            Accessibility of health clubs for people with mobility disabilities and visual impairments.

            We sought to examine the accessibility of health clubs to persons with mobility disabilities and visual impairments. We assessed 35 health clubs and fitness facilities as part of a national field trial of a new instrument, Accessibility Instruments Measuring Fitness and Recreation Environments (AIMFREE), designed to assess accessibility of fitness facilities in the following domains: (1) built environment, (2) equipment, (3) swimming pools, (4) information, (5) facility policies, and (6) professional behavior. All facilities had a low to moderate level of accessibility. Some of the deficiencies concerned specific Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines pertaining to the built environment, whereas other deficiency areas were related to aspects of the facilities' equipment, information, policies, and professional staff. Persons with mobility disabilities and visual impairments have difficulty accessing various areas of fitness facilities and health clubs. AIMFREE is an important tool for increasing awareness of these accessibility barriers for people with disabilities.
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              • Record: found
              • Abstract: found
              • Article: not found

              Mobility difficulties are not only a problem of old age.

              Lower extremity mobility difficulties often result from common medical conditions and can disrupt both physical and emotional well-being.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Afr J Disabil
                Afr J Disabil
                AJOD
                African Journal of Disability
                AOSIS
                2223-9170
                2226-7220
                28 September 2017
                2017
                : 6
                : 341
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana
                [2 ]Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
                Author notes
                Corresponding author: Cosmos Yarfi, cyarfi@ 123456uhas.edu.gh
                Author information
                http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2949-1475
                Article
                AJOD-6-341
                10.4102/ajod.v6i0.341
                5645565
                59a6c1a5-5640-42d6-8217-ead31469382c
                © 2017. The Authors

                Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.

                History
                : 12 November 2016
                : 21 June 2017
                Categories
                Original Research

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