Being involved in the community:  A qualitative study of social inclusion for people with physical disabilities in Mexico

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe participant experiences of how a rehabilitation centre can facilitate social inclusion for people with physical disabilities in Mexico. This research was a qualitative interview study with a semi-structured interview approach. Ten participants were recruited using purposive sampling. The participants were individuals with physical disabilities, including both mobility and visual impairments, who had a connection with the rehabilitation centre. Content analysis was used while examining the collected data. The result consisted of one main category ‘individual experiences of achieving social inclusion’, four categories; ‘being supported by a community’, ‘acceptance of disability’, ‘the centre's work and its effect in the society’ and ‘the importance of work’. Each category contained several sub-categories. In conclusion, the rehabilitation centre facilitates inclusion through work opportunities and the sense of belonging to a community which has a positive impact on persons with a disability. Changing attitudes in the society by raising awareness about disability and generating an acceptance of one’s disabilities were important facilitating factors.