Perceptions of Disability Understanding Occupation and Ability in Antigua and Rural Highland Guatemala

The Culture of Disability Building upon pilot research conducted during the 2010 NAPA-OT Field School, this presentation will address a relative understanding of “disability” and how it affects the occupational justice of those labeled as people with disabilities. What roles do family and other close members assume when caring for a person with a disability How does one perceive the disability they have and what kind of narrative do they portray in their community What stigmas revolve around disability Western vs. Traditional healthcare Occupation and Independence

Methods Who? –Ladinos –Indigenous –Foreign Contacts Instruments –In Depth Interviews –Focus Group Discussion –Informal interviews

Ethical Considerations As an Anthropology Student –My Introduction and Background –Sense of Curiosity –Relative Respectfulness Stigmatization of Disability Explanatory Models of Health and Disability Perceptiveness to Personal Identity –Spanish as a Language Barrier –Cultural Norms of Narratives

Disability and Infant Mortality Rate –Jill Replogle and The Lancet Journal In 2000, World Rate of IM dropped 13%; 35% in Latin America – WHO While Perinatal disorders claim ownership to the highest percentage of IMR, it too is on the decline – PAHO However, as these rates fall, more children survive with disabilities – a cause for concern with lack of education and resources –Hermano Pedro Source: Jill Replogle. “Guatemalan’s Disabled Children Face a Lifetime of Challenges” Theoretical Framework

Hermano Pedro Photo courtesy of Rachel Hall-Clifford Photo courtesy of Erica Skogebo Edwards

Transitions Photos courtesy of Erica Skogebo Edwards

The Colonial, Ladino and Indigenous World View Photos courtesy of Rachel Hall-Clifford

Results My Results are Divided into Four Categories 1.Guatemalan Persons 2.Guatemalans with Disabilities 3.Foreign Persons 4.Foreigners with Disabilities* Results Consist of Narratives, Interview Responses and Observations of Physical Behavior

Guatemalan Persons Care, Resources and Education –Tecun Uman –Aguas Calientes –Street Map and Conversation Stigma via Labeling –Insults –Jokes Linguistic –Empedidos

…With Disabilities Narratives –Transitions Passive and Active Linguistic –Minusvalidos vs Discapacidad Observation of Occupations –Transitions –Hermano Pedro Resources –Municipal –Law

Foreign Persons Stigma Through Communication –The Case of Hermano Pedro’s Volunteers Stigma Through Classification –La Limonada and Sister Kate Result from Volunteering –OT’s and Hermano Pedro

…With Disabilities* Why the Asterisk? Conversations with Kara –Narrative on both Self and Cultural Perception of Physical State Conversations with Devva –Strategy of Communication

Conclusion Ability through disability Social Networks Voice in Government Future Research Considerations