Personer med synnedsättning och deras erfarenheter av tillgängligheten i utemiljön och på offentliga platser

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe experiences of accessibility in outdoor environments and public places for people who are visually impaired. The authors chose an interview based methodology to answer the study´s purpose. Nine people from two different counties were interviewed with semi-structured interview questions, but with the freedom to answer the questions as they pleased. The included criteria´s for this study were acuity less than 0.3 and to be a member of the visually impaired national association (Synskadades riksförbund). The study was analyzed by a qualitative content analysis that resulted in three categories, "The difference between independence and dependence in accessible environments", "The difference between security and insecurity in accessible environments" and "General ignorance towards accessible environments". The result showed that the physical outdoor environments and public places could both inhibit and enable people with visual impairments, depending on if measures of adaptation for visual impairment had been made. The participants of this study had developed their own strategies to feel involved in activities outside their home. Conclusions that could be made from this study were that outdoor environments and public places could not be fully accessible by people with visual impairment and that there is a lack of knowledge in society regarding the measures of adaptation that is needed.Keywords: Visual impairment, environment, occupational therapy, accessibility.Validerat; 20150611 (global_studentproject_submitter