Disability

4 sign languages (English, French, German, Dutch) assure complete accessibility at Parlamentarium for deaf people. The new Brussels attraction that introduce citizens to European Union and European Parliament give full attention to people with special needs. Visitors with visual impairment disability can avail of media guides with a special audio [...]

A world where the majority of healthy heterosexual ignore, until to erase, the existence of homosexuality among disabled people is a painful, yet common, reality. While very little is known, until now, about the type of relationship between members of these minorities. Hence the importance and novelty of the results [...]

In Belgium, in 2010, 18% of the cases handled by the Centre pour l'égalité des chances involved discrimination of a disabled person. Seconds as a number only to those related to racism, disability dossiers concern mainly with access to the labor market, public spaces and services.

In Belgium, if a disabled person has to travel on a train of the national railway company (SNCB) has to book the ticket 24 hours before. The Conseil Supérieur National des Personnes Handicapées (CSNPH) considers non-flexibility a discrimination. However, SNCB says that this is the minimum time necessary to prepare [...]

Belgian television does not mirror the diversity of its society. This is the conclusion reached by a study carried out by the CSA (Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel), according to which the elderly, women, the disabled and foreign people are too little present in TV both in leading roles (presenters, anchormen/anchorwomen, [...]

4 sign languages (English, French, German, Dutch) assure complete accessibility at Parlamentarium for deaf people. The new Brussels attraction that introduce citizens to European Union and European Parliament give full attention to people with special needs. Visitors with visual impairment disability can avail of media guides with a special audio [...]

In Poland, due to a new law, employers who hire workers with disabilities are entitled to an increase in contributions by the State Fund for Enterprise of 125%. Consequently, the State Commission issuing certificates of disability this year was literally assaulted by employees, sometimes accusing an only alleged deterioration of [...]

Difficult, if not impossible to completely heal from nervous anorexia. Indeed in Europe, even among those undergoing intensive care, as much as 30% cannot defeat the disease and 10% lose their lives. Alarming figures which, according to a group of Austrian researchers, are mainly due to inappropriate therapies that link [...]

In Austria, 9 out of 10 health care workers suffer from physical ailments such as headaches, pains in back and limbs. This was revealed by a survey by the National Chamber of Workers, which shows that even for mental disorders due to difficulties at work this occupational group is the [...]

40% of the invalidity allowances paid in Europe are related to a mental illness. This was announced by the OECD in a study that highlights the major impact that such conditions have on productivity and employment. The Organization invites, then, states to be vigilant to this phenomenon that the economic [...]

France passed the test on the front of disabilities, but with reservations. This is shown by a recent parliamentary report outlining, in particular, a positive review of "Autism Plan". A package of measures launched in 2008 in favor of people with this disease (more than 400 thousand). Worthy of note, [...]

In France, it is real suicide alert. In 2010 alone, in fact, 1 out of 20 people has tried to commit suicide, and more than 1 death out of 50 was due to a voluntary choice. To take the extreme action are mainly teenagers and middle-aged men. What matters most [...]

The sexuality of people with disabilities continues to be a taboo, even in France. The problem has reached such an extent as to require to take action, as it has been proposed the parliamentary report that will be presented shortly. The question is both simple and complicated. Like Germany, the [...]

In case of fire, escape from the workplace is not always easy, especially for people with disabilities. One problem that the French Government has decided to deal with a law that stipulates that all newly built buildings have a special security zone to allow the evacuation of disabled people in [...]

In France, since the beginning of 2011, unemployment among disabled people increased by 14%, compared to the 4% increase valid for the rest of the population. The alarm is sent out by the Association for the Employment of Disabled Agefiph, that also adds how the economic crisis has particularly damaged [...]

674 is the number of fatal industrial accidents in Germany in 2010. Compared to the previous year, there has been an increase of 8,4%. Particularly high in comparison to the past, the number of accidents in road construction, where there were 174, nearly 20% more in one year. This was announced by the Ministry of Labour.

A German company of 2 does not meet the 5% share dedicated to disabled workers. As expected, however, by law. The criticism comes from the Federation of Trade Unions of Germany. The unemployment rate among people with disabilities is also nearly twice the national one. The Federal Employment Agency has thus launched the first "Week of Action" to try to improve the [...]

A crossword a day keeps Alzheimer's out of the way, or at least slows down its symptoms. It is the result of a new therapy called MAKS. That replaces traditional medicinal with gardening, sudoku, song or kitchen. For a year, in fact, groups of patients have participated in such activities [...]

Compared to the other German women, the ones with disabilities are much more at risk of violence. In fact, with an average of 35%, the 75% affirms that has suffered acts of violence. Data that strikes, considering the fact that often those are real sexual abuses committed during their childhood. [...]

In Germany about 2 millions of kids have a mother or a father with a mental disease. There is however a problem within the problem. In most of the cases the patients do not confess to their doctors that they have one or more children. For the fear of seeing [...]

Sexual abuse is a taboo subject for most of the victims. Especially if they are disabled. A not well-known phenomenon upon which the Irish Government decided to make an ad hoc statement throwing more light on it. Three major directions emerged from this report. Firstly, for disabled people it is [...]

A National Advocacy Service for people with disabilities has been launched in Ireland to work with vulnerable people with disabilities in institutions and in the community. It will aims to provide a professional, independent, mainstream representative advocacy service to those people with a disability that require such a service. The service, [...]

In 2009, new figures released by Irish National Office for Suicide Prevention have shown that 527 people took their own lives, a 24% increase on the previous year. In response to this data, the highest ever recorded in Ireland, the Government is to provide an additional €1m to fund to [...]

In Italy, the association “Diritti Diretti Onlus” has organized the 1st national free professional photography course for people with disabilities, called “Communicating through pictures”, to be held in Chieti from 7 March to 20 June 2012. The available seats are 10 and the applications must be sent by February 15, [...]

In Italy the calendar 2012 "Women who win” has been presented at the Senate. It is the result of the collaboration between the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work,  the  National Association of Invalid and Maimed Workers and Miss Italy, and portrays beauty queens and victims of accidents, [...]

Tuscany is the Italian region with the highest consumption of antidepressants: about 50% higher than the national average. To be noted, however, that there are interesting regional differences. In the first position, we find the Local Health Unit No.3 of Pistoia. While, at the bottom there is the Local Health [...]

In Italy, more than five million housewives, by next January 31, are required to subscribe the INAIL insurance against domestic accidents. It costs € 12.91 and is addressed to all persons aged between 18 and 65 years involved full-time, free of charge and in an exclusive way, in the care [...]

In Sardinia, a circular letter by the Department of Hygiene, Health and Social Care, announces that the contributions to the voluntary associations that operate in the field of the assistance to infirm people, will be paid, starting from those for 2011, by the local health units. Consult all the documents

87.3% of disabled people aged 18-55 have not a job in Romania, according to a report carried out by the Romanian Academic Society and the Motivation Foundation.

To make life easier for blind people, the government of Catalonia has made ​​a health card in Braille. An absolute innovation in Spanish that allows those who have severe vision deficiencies not to confuse, for example, this document with a credit card. Before being delivered to your home, there will [...]

Today, you know, you're not so cool if you do not have a touch mobile. Too bad, though, that the super-engineers who have worked hard to design this latest miracle of technology is not at all concerned about the needs of blind people. That, while in the past had no [...]

The progressive vision loss in old age may fall into a state of real depression. Many older men and women, in fact, find themselves in a short time having to deal with the loss of the known references and the inability to perform simple daily activities. As a result of [...]

Not only you can come to life with some disability, you can also become disabled because of reasons related to your social rank. As a matter of fact, many social factors increase the possibility of suffering from some kinds of disability. In Spain the possibility to get sick becomes 4 [...]

In Spain multiple sclerosis affects about 46 thousand people. And 1,800 new cases are diagnosed each year. The Federación Española para la Lucha contra la Esclerosis Multiple shows optimism, because new treatments allow to delay the symptoms of the disease. Despite in the Iberian Peninsula it is the second leading [...]

Losing both legs after a terroristic attempt and put their ordeal at the service of the handicapped people. This is the story of Daniel Biddle, a victim of the terrorist acts in 2005 in the London Underground, who recently has created "London Access." A special application for smartphones that helps [...]

Scientific research about autism do not seem to know limits. After the discovery of a revolutionary educational method, a new tool, again from England, arrives to diagnose the disease in the first six months of the infant's life. All through an innovative test of the brain. A team of British [...]

The traditional method of learning through pictures for autistic children could soon be replaced by the technique known as "inner voice". That consists in educating this special category of children to think aloud and talking to himself in order to better face and overcome everyday problems. This is a capacity [...]

ln 2011 in the United Kingdom 700,000 people were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a psychological condition that deeply affects as a result of traumatic events such as death of a family member. Of these, less than half was subjected to an appropriate therapy.

In UK, 14,500 babies had a birth defect in 2009. Which include Down's syndrome, congenital heart disease, spina bifida. More than 1 in 50. Almost double the previous estimate, that have suggested 1 in 80 babies suffers from a defect. The report, the most comprehensive of its kind, was published [...]

39 million people are blind worldwide. Of these, 1.4 million children aged under 15 years are irreversibly blind for the rest of their lives. Cataracts remain the leading cause of this kind of impairment.  Although those due to uncontrolled diabetes are increasing. These are some of the figures released by [...]

Seeing through the sounds. In scientific language it is called "echolocation" and is common in some animals such as dolphins and bats. Few know that also humans have this capacity. That, however, being barely used it must be developed through specific exercises to allow hearing to identify the diffraction of [...]

Next March 21st will be held the 1st World Day on Down syndrome. This is what the ONU resolution A/C.3/66/L.27/Rev.1 has established. An important step towards the people with SdD’s rights acknowledgement and protection. Remembering that necessity of an adequate access to health cares, education inclusive program and the [...]

From now on, Italian disabled people have at their disposal a new tool that increases their autonomy, letting them know where to go, thanks to an interactive online map. In order to find information on places accessibility and services provided, all they need to do is going on the website [...]

Even though in the world the number of mental diseases has increased, the amount of financial resources for mental care has decreased. Actually, on average only €2 per day are spent for these kind of pathologies. Poor countries spend 25 cents less than developed ones. This is the full picture [...]