INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIT AND URBAN SOCIAL STRESS: IMPLICATIONS ON WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Abstract

Many cities in developing countries are growing in population with shortages in physical infrastructure to support this growth.  In spite of these shortages, people living with disabilities (PLD) are hardly considered in the planning and executions of infrastructural projects. Though  living in urban area can be stressful, living with disabilities in the urban areas of a developing country (like Nigeria) is even more complex. Against this backdrop, this study investigated how people with disabilities live in a city with infrastructure that is not user friendly for PLD. The study collected qualitative data from 10 purposely selected PLD in Lagos. They were individuals who had motor impairment. They were engaged in in-depth interview on experiences on movement on Lagos roads (i.e. transportation in the city), movement within public buildings, (climbing and descending of multiple storey building) ease of using public facilities e.g. toilets. Responses from the interviews were collated and themes emerging from the analysed data were interpreted. The results of the study revealed different kinds of stress that people living with disabilities experience with mobility in their efforts to access public services and programmes, make a living and engage in a social life and how these in turn affect their physical and psychological well-being. The paper made recommendations that can help in achieving more inclusive infrastructural developments in the cities of developing countries.