Online first
Current issue
Archive
Special Issues
About the Journal
Publication Ethics
Anti-Plagiarism system
Instructions for Authors
Instructions for Reviewers
Editorial Board
Editorial Office
Contact
Reviewers
All Reviewers
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
General Data Protection Regulation (RODO)
REVIEW PAPER
Disability as a result of health and social disorders - role of prejudice and discrimination
1
Departament of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, John Paul II Catholic University, Lublin, Poland
2
Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology with Endocrine – Metabolic Laboratory, Medical University, Lublin, Poland
3
Medical Institute, Jan Grodek State University, Sanok, Poland
4
Chair and Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Research Methodology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland
Corresponding author
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2025;32(4):592-600
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction and objective:
Discrimination against persons with disabilities - ableism - affects most disabled people, regardless of the cause of their disability. These may be single or long-term actions resulting in negative health and social consequences. The aim of the study is to identify the types of health and social consequences of functional disorders in disabled persons exposed to ableism, in relation to the causes and types of disability and the associated types of prejudice and discrimination.
Review methods:
A review of scientific literature in English and Polish from 1978 - 2025 was conducted on forms of prejudice and discrimination against persons with disabilities, in relation to the causes of disability and types of bodily dysfunction and health and social functioning disorders. The search was conducted in the PubMed, PubMed Central and Google Scholar databases. The following key words were used: ‘disabled persons’, ‘prejudice’, ‘discrimination’.
Brief description of the state of knowledge:
Persons with disabilities are among the most excluded social groups. Many of them face behaviour that can be described as discriminatory, a term that has many pejorative meanings defining the types of behaviour, presented taking into account the causes of disability in relation to the types of health and social consequences. The importance of comprehensive rehabilitation in order that people with disabilities could achieve the greatest possible social integration is also defined.
Summary:
Persons with disabilities require significant support in developing their independence. In order to increase their participation in social life and prevent discrimination by able-bodied members of the society, comprehensive rehabilitation of disabled persons and public education should be conducted simultaneously.
Discrimination against persons with disabilities - ableism - affects most disabled people, regardless of the cause of their disability. These may be single or long-term actions resulting in negative health and social consequences. The aim of the study is to identify the types of health and social consequences of functional disorders in disabled persons exposed to ableism, in relation to the causes and types of disability and the associated types of prejudice and discrimination.
Review methods:
A review of scientific literature in English and Polish from 1978 - 2025 was conducted on forms of prejudice and discrimination against persons with disabilities, in relation to the causes of disability and types of bodily dysfunction and health and social functioning disorders. The search was conducted in the PubMed, PubMed Central and Google Scholar databases. The following key words were used: ‘disabled persons’, ‘prejudice’, ‘discrimination’.
Brief description of the state of knowledge:
Persons with disabilities are among the most excluded social groups. Many of them face behaviour that can be described as discriminatory, a term that has many pejorative meanings defining the types of behaviour, presented taking into account the causes of disability in relation to the types of health and social consequences. The importance of comprehensive rehabilitation in order that people with disabilities could achieve the greatest possible social integration is also defined.
Summary:
Persons with disabilities require significant support in developing their independence. In order to increase their participation in social life and prevent discrimination by able-bodied members of the society, comprehensive rehabilitation of disabled persons and public education should be conducted simultaneously.
REFERENCES (58)
2.
Ontario Human Rights Commission. Forms of discrimination. https://www3.ohrc.on.ca/en/pol... (access: 16 October 2025).
3.
Temple JB, Kelaher M, Williams R. Discrimination and avoidance due to disability in Australia: evidence from a National Cross Sectional Survey. BMC Public Health. 2018 Dec 5;18(1):1347. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-6234-7. PMID: 30518354; PMCID: PMC6282294.
4.
Bixby L, Bevan S, Boen C. The Links Between Disability, Incarceration, And Social Exclusion. Health Aff (Millwood). 2022 Oct;41(10):1460-1469. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00495. PMID: 36190886; PMCID: PMC10335036.
6.
Pasin T, Dogruoz Karatekin B. Determinants of social participation in people with disability. PLoS One. 2024 May 20;19(5):e0303911. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303911. PMID: 38768173; PMCID: PMC11104585.
7.
Knott C. 5 Barriers That Impact People with Disabilities Mon, 05/08/2023. https://lifespan.ku.edu/news/a....
8.
Szustak K. Trojanowska M. Dyskryminacja osób z niepełnosprawnością. Cześć II. Fundacja Avalon – raport 2023.
9.
Burek W, Klaus W. Definiowanie dyskryminacji w prawie polskim w świetle prawa unii europejskiej oraz prawa międzynarodowego. Problemy Współczesnego Prawa Międzynarodowego, Europejskiego i Porównawczego, 2013; 11:72-90.
10.
Disability Advocate who introduced the Social Model of Disability, Mike Oliver. level Playing Field 2019. https://www.levelplayingfield.....
11.
Breaking Barriers: The Impact of Persons with Disabilities on Inclusive Research and Scholarship April 4, 2024.
12.
Oliver M, Sapey B. The Causes of Impairment and the Creation of Disability. Social Work with Disability People 2020: 56-76.
13.
Kołłątaj B, Kołłątaj WP, Cipora E, et al. Determination of the medical and social levels of disability as a basis for successful comprehensive rehabilitation. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2025;32(2):198-205, DOI: https://doi.org/10.26444/aaem/....
14.
Global Disability Inclusion Report. Accelerating Disability Inclusionin a Changing and Diverse World. A Multistakeholder Report for the Global Disability Summit 2025.
15.
Gutterman AS. Definitions and Models of Disability. Ageism and Disability, Sustainable Impact Entrepreneurship Project 2023: 1-14.
16.
Schramme T. Health as Complete Well-Being: The WHO Definition and Beyond. Public Health Ethics 2023 Jul 27;16(3):210–218. doi: 10.1093/phe/phad017.
17.
Baart J, Elbers W, Schippers A. Who is disabled? On whether the functional definition of disability targets the same individuals as the subjective definitione. Front Sustain. 2023; 4 https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.....
18.
Disability Inclusion Strategies, CDC, Disability and Health, April 3, 2025 https://www.cdc.gov/disability....
19.
Handi-Diag: a self-assessment tool for disability inclusion. EP. Created by Emeline PETIT, An official website of the European Union. Digital Skills Jobs Platform. Updated 13 May 2024.
20.
Ivanova GE, Bulatova MA, Polyaev BB, et al. Application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health in the Rehabilitation Process. Bull Rehabil Med. 2021; 20(6): 4-33. https://doi.org/10.38025/2078-....
21.
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. United Nations Rights. https://www.ohchr.org/en/speci....
22.
Stucki G, Pollock A, Engkasan JP. How to use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a reference system for comparative evaluation and standardized reporting of rehabilitation interventions. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2019; 55:384–94. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.19.05808-8.
23.
Discrimination in employment vs. CJEU ruling of 7 December 2023 in case ref. no. C-518/22, https://www.kpr.pl/en/discrimi....
24.
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). United Nations. Departament of Economic and Social Affairs. https://social.desa.un.org/iss....
25.
Timmons S. McGinnity F, Carroll E. Degree of “ableism” depends on disability, gender and the social context. ESRI Research Bulletin 2024; 01.
26.
Eisenmenger A. What it is, what it looks like, and what we can do to fix it. Ableism 101. 2021; 7: 1-3.
27.
Encyclopedia pedagogiczna XXI wieku, red. T. Pilch, t.V R-St, Warszawa 2006: 990.
28.
Bergsh M, Chatton C, Thomas C. Do disabled people need a stronger social model: a social model of human rights? Disability Society 2019, 34, 7-8, 1034-1039.
29.
European Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024. Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. European Commission.
30.
Yuan B, Hu D, Gu S. et al. The global burden of traumatic amputation in 204 countries and territories. Front Public Health 2023 Oct 20:11:1258853. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1258853. eCollection 2023.
31.
Rivera JA, Churovich K, Ashley B. et al. Estimating Recent US Limb Loss Prevalence and Updating Future Projections. Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl. 2024 Oct 19;6(4):100376. doi: 10.1016/j.arrct.2024.100376. eCollection 2024 Dec.
32.
Bozzay AB, Potter KP, Forsberg JA. The Transfemoral and Transhumeral OPRA (Osseoanchored Prostheses for the Rehabilitation of Amputees) Osseointegration Technique. JBJS Essent Surg Tech . 2025 Nov 19;15(4):e22.00072. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.ST.22.00072. eCollection 2025 Oct-Dec.
33.
Keeves J, Hutchison A, D'Cruz K. Social and community participation following traumatic lower limb amputation: an exploratory qualitative study. Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Dec;45(26):4404-4412. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2152114. Epub 2022 Nov 30. PMID: 36448299.
34.
Sprawozdanie końcowe z realizacji zadania badawczego DS 444 /13 - Niepełnosprawność, jako problemy medyczne i społeczne w województwie lubelskim – znaczenie w organizacji ochrony zdrowia i w polityce zdrowotnej regionu (kierownik zadania badawczego: prof. I.D. Karwat). Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie. Lublin 2017.
35.
Amputees in Sierra Leone turn to farming to combat discrimination. December 28, 2024. https://www.voanews.com/a/ampu....
36.
Bettarello F, Caniato M, Scavuzzo G. indoor Acoustic Requirements for Autism-Friendly Spaces. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11(9):3942. https://doi.org/10.3390/app110....
37.
Hull L, Rane S, Lee SH. "Just Ask What Support We Need": Autistic Adults' Feedback on Social Skills Training. Autism Adulthood. 2025 May 28;7(3):283-292. doi: 10.1089/aut.2023.0136. PMID: 40539210; PMCID: PMC12174831.
38.
Ali A, Scior K, Ratti V, et al. Discrimination and other barriers to accessing health care: perspectives of patients with mild and moderate intellectual disability and their carers. PLoS One 2013 Aug 12;8(8):e70855. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070855.
39.
Rotoli J, Poffenberger C, Backster A, et al. From inequity to access: Evidence-based institutional practices to enhance care for individuals with disabilities . A EM Educ Train . 2023 Jun 27;7(Suppl 1):S5-S14. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10871.
40.
Munthali AC, Swartz L, Mannan H, et al. This one will delay us”: barriers to accessing health care services among persons with disabilities in Malawi. Disabil Rehabil. 2019 Mar; 41(6):683-69041, https://doi.org/10.1080/096382....
41.
Bacherini A, Havercamp SM, Balboni G. Physicians' Attitudes about Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Health Care Practices Toward Them: A Systematic Review. Psychiatr Danub. 2021 Dec;33(Suppl 11):79-90. PMID: 34862898.
42.
Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Vist GE, et al. GRADE: an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendation. BMJ 2008;336(7650):924-6. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39489.470347.AD.
43.
Gormley C. The Hidden Harms of Prison Life for People with Learning Disabilities The British J Criminol. 2022; 62(2):261–278, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/az....
44.
Sakowicz-Boboryko A, Otapowicz D, Wyrzykowska-Koda D. Osoby z niepełnosprawnością w izolacji penitencjarnej – pozór a/i rzeczywistość. Resocjalizacja Pol. 2018; 16: 93-111. Polish Journal of Social Rehabilitation. Doi: 10.22432/pjsr 2018.16.08.
45.
Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2475 (2019), Ground-Breaking Text on Protection of Persons with Disabilities in Conflict. Meetinge Coverage and Press Releases. United Nations, S.C./13851, 20 June 2019.
46.
Kun-Buczko M. People with Disabilities in Armed Conflict. EEJTR 2019; 3(2):43-55; DOI: 10.15290/eejtr.2019.03.02.03.
47.
Niepełnosprawni w służbie wojskowej – szansa czy bariera? Supervisor 06.01.2025. https://ipon.org.pl/aktualnosc....
48.
Besowski S, Cwojdzińska J, Orylski Ł, i wsp. Standard usługi asystencja osobista osoby z niepełnosprawnością. Ministerstwo Rodziny i Polityki Społecznej, PFRON, Warszawa 2022.
49.
Sierpińska LE. Assessment of the degree of illness acceptance in patients diagnosed with hepatitis C. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2022; 29(2): 224-231.
50.
Woolham, JG, Norrie, CM, Samsi K, et al. Roles, responsibilities, and relationships: hearing the voices of Personal Assistants and Directly Employed Care Workers. NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce, The Policy Institute, King's College London 2019; https://doi.org/10.18742/pub01....
51.
Projekt ustawy o asystencji osobistej osób z niepełnosprawnościami. Kancelaria Prezesa Rady Ministrów. https://www.gov.pl/web/premier....
52.
Stucki G, Pollock A, Engkasan JP, et al. How to use the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a reference system for comparative evaluation and standardized reporting of rehabilitations. Eur. J Phys Rehabil Med. 2019; 55: 384-94. Doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.19.05808-8.
53.
Mills JA, Marks E, Reynolds T, et al. Rehabilitation: Essential along the Continuum of Care. NIH: 2025: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/b....
54.
Stucki G. Advancing the Rehabilitation Sciences. FIELD GRAND CHALLENGE. Front Rehabil Sci. 2021;(1) https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.....
55.
Tederko P, Górnicz M, Babij K, et al. Rehabilitation – definition for research purposes. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2024; 31(4): 609–615.
56.
Mazur A, Saran T, Łukasiewicz J, et al. Interpersonal correlates of the tendency to seek help in the situation of indebtedness in healthy people and in patients with impaired mobility, related to chronic disorders of the locomotor system – Pilot study. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019; 26(4): 630–635. doi: 10.26444/aaem/102493.
57.
Kołłątaj B, Kołłątaj WP, Cipora E. et al. Determination of the medical and social levels of disability as a basis for successful comprehensive rehabilitation. Agric Environ Med. 2025; 32(2): 198–205. doi: 10.26444/aaem/207621.
58.
Ekhammer A, Melin L, Thorn J, et al. A sense of increased living space after participating in multimodal rehabilitation. Disab Rehabil. 2016;38: 2445-2454. https://doi.org/10.3109/096382....
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 1898-2263 |
| ISSN: | 1232-1966 |
Generation of the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) - task financed under the agreement No NrRCN/SP/0532/2021/1 by the Minister of Science and Higher
© 2006-2025 Journal hosting platform by Bentus
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
