title: The attitudes of community based rehabilitation workers towards people with disabilities in south India.
abstract: This study explored the attitudes of south Indian Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers towards people with disabilities. The research presents a demographic profile of the CBR worker, provides a measure of their attitudes towards people with disabilities, and investigates the factors that influence the formation of these attitudes, in particular the role of CBR education programmes. A questionnaire and an attitude measurement instrument, specifically developed for the Indian context, provided descriptive data. Interviews provided background information on south Indian culture and CBR educational programmes. Analysis of the data revealed that CBR workers in south India tend to be young, female and lacking in work experience. They have positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, which are influenced by their amount of education. CBR educational programmes appeared to have little effect on workers' attitudes, perhaps reflecting a lack of educational strategies directed specifically at attitude development.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boyce
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jamieson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology*