IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i12p1701-d1548985.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of COVID-19 on People with a Visual Impairment in Northern Ireland: A Sensory Support View

Author

Listed:
  • Laura N. Cushley

    (Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

  • Matthew Mo

    (School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK)

  • Tunde Peto

    (Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
    Department of Ophthalmology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

  • A. Jonathan Jackson

    (Department of Ophthalmology, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
    Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK)

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges for all and especially for people with a visual impairment. As a result, many healthcare services had to close or be reduced, and new rules and regulations were implemented. These rules, regulations and testing procedures were challenging for many people with a visual impairment. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with sensory support workers at a regional sensory meeting in Northern Ireland. A set of semi-structured questions were asked about how services were conducted, the challenges faced by people with a visual impairment and any specific cases which showed its impact. Two researchers transcribed and analysed the focus group data. Results: The analysis resulted in four themes, namely “as a result”; healthcare; rules, regulation and testing; and mental and physical health. Some of the biggest issues mentioned were access to healthcare, COVID testing, online working, online schools, one-way systems, social distancing and the impact on mental and physical health. Conclusions: As expected, COVID-19 impacted people with a visual impairment. This study shows some of the barriers faced by people with a visual impairment, especially with regards to the rules and regulations. People with a visual impairment also found it difficult to access the necessary healthcare and support, or they were too fearful to seek it out. This paper provides an insight into the barriers faced by people with a visual impairment and how we may support them in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura N. Cushley & Matthew Mo & Tunde Peto & A. Jonathan Jackson, 2024. "The Impact of COVID-19 on People with a Visual Impairment in Northern Ireland: A Sensory Support View," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(12), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:12:p:1701-:d:1548985
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/12/1701/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/12/1701/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luciano Bubbico & Saverio Bellizzi & Salvatore Ferlito & Antonino Maniaci & Raffaella Leone Guglielmotti & Giulio Antonelli & Giuseppe Mastrangelo & Luca Cegolon, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Individuals with Hearing and Visual Disabilities during the First Pandemic Wave in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-20, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roberta Fadda & Tiziana Piu & Sara Congiu & Doxa Papakonstantinou & Giulia Motzo & Cristina Sechi & Loredana Lucarelli & Ilaria Tatulli & Maria Luisa Pedditzi & Donatella Rita Petretto & Ana Sofia Fre, 2024. "Social Support at School for Students with Sensory Disabilities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-21, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:12:p:1701-:d:1548985. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.