Tyabashe-Phume Babalwa P, Kleintjes Sharon R
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Afr J Disabil. 2025 May 29;14:1594. doi: 10.4102/ajod.v14i0.1594. eCollection 2025.
People with intellectual disabilities are generally not consulted in the development of public policies, which impact their lives, and little is known about how to best empower people with intellectual disabilities to enable them to participate in public policy processes.
Our article reports on developing a conceptual framework to support self-advocacy by people with intellectual disabilities in social and health-related policy development in South Africa.
Our qualitative study was conducted using empowerment theory and integrated the concept of Ubuntu as a guide and was underpinned by a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through a scoping review, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review protocol. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were analysed using framework analysis. Data sources were triangulated to develop the conceptual framework, using a process adapted from three approaches used to develop similar conceptual frameworks.
Data triangulation identified three core elements for self-advocacy: (1) personal development; (2) creating a supportive environment to facilitate the empowerment of people with intellectual disability; and (3) improved policy participation opportunities.
Participation of people with intellectual disabilities in public policy decisions, which can improve their quality of life, can be supported by developing their capacity for participation and increasing policymakers' understanding as well as facilitation of what is needed to support their participation.
Our study offers a framework for a comprehensive approach to supporting people with intellectual disabilities in participating in and influencing public policy processes that impact their lives.
在制定影响智障人士生活的公共政策时，通常不会征求他们的意见，而且对于如何最好地增强智障人士的权能以使他们能够参与公共政策制定过程，人们了解甚少。
我们的文章报道了在南非制定一个概念框架，以支持智障人士在社会和健康相关政策制定中进行自我倡导。
我们的定性研究采用赋权理论，将乌班图概念作为指导并以现象学方法为基础。数据通过范围综述、半结构化访谈和焦点小组收集。范围综述使用乔安娜·布里格斯研究所（JBI）的范围综述方案进行。半结构化访谈和焦点小组使用框架分析进行分析。对数据来源进行三角互证以制定概念框架，采用了一种改编自用于制定类似概念框架的三种方法的过程。
数据三角互证确定了自我倡导的三个核心要素：（1）个人发展；（2）营造支持性环境以促进智障人士的赋权；（3）改善政策参与机会。
通过培养智障人士的参与能力、增进政策制定者的理解以及为支持他们的参与提供便利，可以支持智障人士参与公共政策决策，这有助于提高他们的生活质量。
我们的研究提供了一个全面的框架，以支持智障人士参与并影响那些影响他们生活的公共政策制定过程。
