Research on Public Attitude to Disability

Research on Public Attitude to Disability

12/11/2004

Scottish Research
Attitudes to Discrimination in Scotland
www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/adis-00.asp

Research instigated and developed collaboratively by a team involving representatives from the Commission for Racial Equality, Disability Rights Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission, Stonewall Scotland, The Scottish Executive and NatCen Scotland.

Research designed to answer 3 questions:

• What do Scots themselves believe is the extent of discriminatory attitudes in Scotland?
• What is the extent and character of discriminatory attitudes in Scotland?
• Why do people hold discriminatory attitudes?

Research based on analysis of part of the NatCen Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2002.  The research is broken down into 4 chapters, each one devoted to an excluded group in society: women; minority ethnic groups; disabled people; and gay men and lesbians.  This is done so that discriminatory attitudes in Scotland can be examined in terms of variance according to the group in question.

The research uses 5 potential indicators of attitudes towards disabled people:

• How suitable are wheelchair users for the job of primary school teachers?
• The main problem faced by disabled people at work is other people’s prejudice, not their own lack of ability
• Shops and banks should be forced to make themselves easier for disabled people to use, even if this leads to higher prices
• Still leaving aside what party they were in, would you prefer to have a disabled MSP, and MSP who is not disabled or, would you not mind either way?
• Now I want to ask about some changes that have been happening in Scotland over the years.  For each one, please tell me whether you think its gone too far, or not far enough. 
  How about attempts to give equal opportunities to disabled people in Scotland?

The research also investigated people’s experience of disability and took this into account.

Responses were analysed in terms of: sociological explanations for prejudice; economic explanations for prejudice; and psychological explanations for prejudice

The findings showed that in contrast to attitudes towards race and sexual orientation, attitudes towards disability are little affected by social characteristics such as age, class and education, or even their own experiences of disability.  They also showed that someone’s economic position did not affect their attitude towards disabled people; and attitudes towards disabled people do not vary much in respect of psychological indicators (for example knowing a disabled person).

Scotland Disability Awareness Survey 2002
www.drc-gb.org/scotland/publicationsandreports/publicationdetails.asp

Survey of 1000 adults representative of the population in Scotland assessing public levels of awareness of discrimination faced by disabled people. 

Summary of findings:

• There was a large increase in awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), just over half the respondents have heard of the DDA in contrast to just over a third in 2001.  In addition, more people think they know what the DDA covers.
• Large majority (85%) of respondents are aware that it is illegal to discriminate against people because of their disability.
• Overwhelming majority of people, 93% agree that schoolchildren should be taught about disability as part of citizenship studies.
• Over half of respondents do not think disabled people are treated fairly by society.  Only a third think disabled people are treated fairly by society.  Almost two-thirds think disabled people are underrepresented in public positions.  Only a third think disabled people are treated fairly by employers.
• A quarter of disabled people reported experiencing harassment in public in relation to their disability. 1 in 20 disabled people said they often experience harassment.  Almost two-fifths of people who know a disabled person said they have witnessed the disabled person being harassed.
• Overwhelming majority, 93%, think that disabled people should have the same right to vote as non-disabled people.
• There is low awareness of forthcoming changes to the DDA, only about a fifth are aware of changes to introduce new rights for disabled people to access goods and services and in education.
   

UK Wide Research
The DRC 2003 Attitudes and Awareness Survey
http://www.drc-gb.org/ (publications)

A survey of 2,026 people aged 15+ living in Great Britain conducted for the DRC by BMRB.  The survey asked people about their attitudes towards disabled people and their awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).

The DRC’s annual awareness surveys (2000-2003) are designed to measure changes in attitudes towards disability discrimination, and awareness of legislation and rights, in order to inform the work of the Commission.

Key findings are broken down into the sub-headings:

• Disabled people in society
• Employment
• Education
• Goods and Services
• Disability discrimination and the law
• Awareness of the DRC
• Future research

Sample of the key findings:

• 10% of respondents are disabled.  67% of non-disabled respondents know a disabled person
• 46% of respondents think that disabled people are not, on the whole, treated fairly in society
• 21% of respondents have experiences harassment in public in relation to their impairment
• General awareness of disability discrimination legislation is higher than knowledge of the DDA
• 35% of respondents think that disabled people are not, on the whole, treated fairly by employers

“Disabled for Life?” Attitudes Towards, and Experiences of Disability in Britain
www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrep173.asp

Extensive piece of research aiming to provide a picture of work and daily activities of disabled people, compared with non-disabled people, and to examine general attitudes towards disability.  The study also aimed to examine people’s experience of their disability, including discrimination and prejudice, across a range of different areas of life.

The research was done on two stages.  The first qualitative stage consisted of 35 individual depth interviews and seven discussion groups with disabled people, and ten discussion groups with non-disabled people.  The second stage was quantitative: a face-to-face survey carried out with 2064 respondents, of which 47% were disabled.

Findings are broken down into:

• Understanding disability
• Disabling attitudes – looking at non-disabled people’s attitudes to disability using hypothetical situations
• Personal and social lives
• Education and training
• Employment status
• Disability and employment
• Accessing goods and services and support
• Achieving social inclusion

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