Abstract
Quality of Life (QoL) refers to a subjective evaluation of individual, which is encapsulated in both cultural and social environment. It is contributing to each individual’s goals, expectations, standards and concerns. However, individuals with special needs working in unorganised sector are facing lots of impediments in their everyday life, which directly affect their QoL. Though they are capable of maintaining a productive life, but the social and cultural factors hinder them to attain it. Method: In the proposed study, the researchers attempted to find out the QoL maintained by the individual with special needs working in different unorganised sectors in Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu. The following study was conducted by taking the sample size of 35 respondents, with the help of purposive sampling technique. Category of disability was visual impairment, locomotor disability, hearing impairment, mental illness, mental retardation specially selected for the study. A standardised measuring scale prepared by the World Health Organization, i.e. WHOQOLBREF scale, was used. The data analysis was done by SPSS and Microsoft Excel 2013. Results: The following study revealed that maximum number of disabled persons, which is more than average are dissatisfied with their life and leading a poor quality of life. About 80% of respondents are not getting any support even from their friends and peer groups. The study also discovered about their condition of living place, which is not suitable to their condition and finally, they are not capable enough to get money to meet their personal needs. Conclusions: In a developing country like India, the government has initiated many steps, enacted lists of legislative measures to provide safety and security to people with special needs at home and working place. After all efforts, from government and as well from non-governmental agency, it has found from the following study that nothing had changed their life. Hence many researches have to be done to find out the root cause behind it. A number of new initiatives must be taken to support people with special needs to lead a quality life, as well as, a constraint-free working environment.
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We acknowledge Aneesha George, Sandra MJ and Rajilesh MM, Students Master of Social Work for helping in data collection.
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Subudhi, C., Mohapatra, B., Padmanaban, S. (2019). Quality of Life Among Individuals with Special Needs Working in Unorganised Sector. In: Panneer, S., Acharya, S., Sivakami, N. (eds) Health, Safety and Well-Being of Workers in the Informal Sector in India. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8421-9_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8421-9_3
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