Communicating (in) the Crisis [ComCri]
Health Literacy and Vulnerabilities of Persons with Profound Disabilities in times of the COVID-19 Pandemic
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The current crisis amplifies the pre-existing vulnerabilities (such as health risks and exclusion) of persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) who can be identified as a particularly vulnerable part of the population. The project aims at exploring these vulnerabilities and communication needs of persons with PIMD by investigating the relevance and accessibility of health-related information for the target group and their caregivers. Consequently, it will address the question whether and to what extent the communicational variety and vulnerabilities of the target group are considered in the communication and implementation of health-related requirements. Thus, it will enhance the scientific discourse about health literacy and PIMD, supply research-based knowledge to service providers as well as advocacy organisations and policymakers and contribute to raise the public awareness of the specific needs and demands of these persons. ComCri is funded by the Volkswagen Foundation and designed for a project duration of 18 months.
METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH
To achieve these objectives, the research project is based on a triangular and transdisciplinary research design: A literature review and a Delphi-study will serve as a starting point to map the research field (experts will represent different stakeholders such as representatives from service-providers, financing agencies and advocacy organisations as well as PIMD-researchers, etc.). These findings will be incorporated in a questionnaire that will be sent out to care practitioners and supporters. A short ethnographic field phase will complement the empirical data. The project will focus on three exemplary institutional environments (sheltered-workshops, day-care-facilities, residential care settings) to gain an insight into everyday situations of persons with PIMD in the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be accomplished by interviews and narrative photography or videography methods (depending on the circumstances, these may be performed by the on-site care practitioners). The data will be analysed by following the methodological guidelines of qualitative content analysis.
CONTACT
If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, the members of the research team would be pleased to receive your email: comcri-koeln@uni-koeln.de
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Modulbeauftragte für das Modul AM4 im M.Ed. Sonderpädagogische Förderung