Barriers to employment for visually impaired women
International Journal of Workplace Health Management
ISSN: 1753-8351
Article publication date: 2 September 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore barriers to employment for visually impaired (VI) women and potential solutions to those barriers.
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed methods, comprising three phases; first, exploratory interviews with VI women (n=6) and employers (n=3); second, a survey to assess the barriers to employment experienced by this group (n=96); and third, in-depth interviews with VI women (n=15). This paper reports phases 2 and 3.
Findings
The most commonly reported barriers to work were: negative employer attitudes; the provision of adjustments in the workplace; restricted mobility; and having an additional disability/health condition. Significantly more barriers were reported by women: who reported that their confidence had been affected by the barriers they had experienced; with dependents under 16; and women who wanted to work.
Research limitations/implications
Key solutions to these barriers included: training for employers; adaptive equipment; flexibility; better support; training and work experience opportunities; and more widely available part-time employment opportunities.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the literature in respect of the key barriers to employment for VI women, together with providing key solutions to these barriers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express our sincere thanks to all those who contributed to this unique piece of research, especially The European Social Fund, who funded the Catholic Blind Institute, Liverpool, to undertake this research, and Amanda Kaye who undertook the field research.
Citation
Coffey, M., Coufopoulos, A. and Kinghorn, K. (2014), "Barriers to employment for visually impaired women", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 171-185. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-06-2013-0022
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited