Journal Article

How Did People with Functional Disability Experience the First COVID-19 Lockdown? A Thematic Analysis of YouTube Comments

Hall, Karen A. E., D’Hers Del Pozo, Manuel, Martínez-Hernáez, Ángel, Deusdad, Blanca

2022

Overview

People with functional disability endure barriers to health and other services and to full participation in social life. In the context of COVID-19, this discrimination has been intensified worldwide. We examine how the experience of COVID-19 lockdown was depicted in comments to a video about functional disability and COVID published on VICE’s YouTube channel. We analysed the first 100 comments on the video, which was posted in spring 2020, during the first COVID-19 lockdown (roughly from March to June 2020, with some variations around the world). We identified four themes: lack of access to care and services, isolation and lifestyle changes, mental health consequences, and peer support. Legal regulations regarding COVID-19 and people with functional disability have not been sufficient in most countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed inadequate care systems, even in Western countries with advanced social protection policies.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Communicable Disease Control / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - epidemiology / Disability / Humans / Medical research / Mental Health / Pandemics / Pandemics - prevention & control / People with disabilities / Quality of life / Researchers / Shelter in place / Social justice / Social Media / Social networks