A "Good Life" for People with Disabilities in Vietnam

Background

In Vietnam, eight percent of the population experiences some form of disability, and families of people with disabilities are disproportionately poor (NCCD, 2010). While prevalence is high nationwide, it is particularly acute in dioxin hotspots remaining from the Vietnam Conflict (Ngo et al., 2013), including much of DaNang city, the site of this study. Although the Vietnamese government has signaled support for the inclusion of people with disabilities in community life through the passage of the Ordinance on Disabled Persons (1998), full participation remains elusive. This research seeks to explore the meaning of “a good life” for people with disabilities in Vietnam, with the aim of contributing to the design of interventions now proliferating from the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to bolster quality of life for people with disabilities.

Method

This qualitative study incorporated perspectives of diverse stakeholders to arrive at shared notions of what it means to have a good life for a person with a disability in Vietnam.  In total, 28 people, recruited through NGOs in DaNang, participated in individual interviews, including 15 parents of people with disabilities, two self-advocates, three educators, four health professionals, and four government officials. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. Researchers administered each interview with the assistance of a bilingual research assistant. Analysis of translated texts was conducted in NVivo10 by two researchers and a research assistant using inductive thematic analysis. Results were vetted with employees of a DaNang-based NGO to enhance credibility.

Results

Results indicated that the essence of a good life for most stakeholders was related to economic self-sufficiency. Though many informants noted that robust social relationships and paid employment remain unavailable for most people with disabilities, these were fundamental elements of a good life. Regarding how to support a good life, opinions were split as to whether integrated or segregated education and employment was in the best interests of people with disabilities. Regardless of whether services were integrated or segregated a strong theme of NGO reliance emerged, both at the family and governmental levels. A lack of resources to support a good life was evident, as were paternalistic perspectives from professionals and government officials about how people with disabilities and their families should be supported. Representative quotations will be used to punctuate key findings in the presentation.

Implications

Findings may help to inform programs targeting sustainable gains in quality of life for people with disabilities in Vietnam. Reducing NGO reliance and rebalancing NGO and government investments on infrastructure and sustainable human and social capital development for people with disabilities are essential steps. Specific suggestions for future intervention at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels will be presented.

References

National Coordinating Council on Disability. (2010). 2010 Report on the status of people with disabilities in Vietnam. Retrieved from  http://nccd.molisa.gov.vn/attachments/221_BC%20thuong%20nien%202010%20tieng%20Anh%20cuoi.pdf.

Ngo, A.D., Brolan, C., Fitzgerald, L., Pham, V., & Pan, H. (2013). Voices from Vietnam: Experiences of children and youth with disabilities, and their families, from and Agent Orange affected rural region. Disability & Society, 28, 955-969.