新冠肺炎（COVID-19）防疫第三級警戒對障礙者的影響：防疫困境、焦慮與心理福祉

Impact of Level 3 COVID-19 Alert on Disabled People: Challenges, Anxiety and Mental Well-being

繼2019年底新冠肺炎（COVID-19）大流行及2020年2至4月第一波疫情巔峰，2021年5月中旬疫情大爆發，進入防疫第三級警戒（至7月下旬）。本研究目的在探討此三級警戒期間，身心障礙者面臨的防疫困境及其防疫困境、焦慮與心理福祉的影響因素。本研究通過研究倫理審查後，7月3日至14日以標準化問卷（防疫困境、情境焦慮與心理福祉量表）及1題開放性問題，經社群網絡線上調查年滿20歲以上、領有障礙證明及住社區的身心障礙者，完成有效問卷394份，以邏輯式回歸和主題分析方法分析量性與質性資料。結果發現受訪者困境：取得疫苗施打、經濟補助、特殊需求口罩、疫苗施打預約方式與交通安排；回歸分析發現除健康程度、障礙類別與焦慮及心理福祉程度顯著相關外，障礙者對政府防疫措施滿意度皆影響其防疫困境、焦慮及心理福祉程度。質性資料分析發現戴口罩對肺活量不足者很難呼吸，對讀唇語者則無法與人溝通；掃描QR Code、保持與人接觸距離對視障者有困難；服務內容使用受限制、支持人力不足；擔心居家檢疫、隔離或確診住院時的人力協助及無障礙（硬體環境／溝通）。建議：疫情升溫時，政府當重視並回應住社區障礙者及其不同障別，含性別、經濟邊緣者、身體較虛弱者、罕病／重器／多重障礙者的經濟收支與人力支持等多元需求與服務提供。

Due to the highest number of COVID-19 confirmed cases reported in May 2021, Taiwan raised nationwide Level 3 COVID alert between 15th May and 26th July. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by disabled people during the Level 3 COVID-19 alert and assess how these challenges, anxiety and mental well-being, are impacted. Taiwanese disabled citizens (N=394) completed an online survey (including one open-closed question) between July 3-14, 2021. The primary difficulties for disabled people during the pandemic include (1) the unavailability of vaccines; (2) the insufficient financial support; (3) the lack of tailored facemasks that accommodate the needs of disabled people; (4) the inaccessible reservation system and transportation for vaccination. Regression analyses showed that the participants’types of impairment, and level of health and satisfaction with the government’s responses to disabled people were significantly associated with the level of challenges, anxiety and mental wellbeing. Findings of qualitative data showed that wearing mask, scanning QR code and maintaining social distancing are difficult for the participants having breath difficulty as well as people using lipreading, or having vision impairment. For disabled people with care/support needs have worried about staff shortage and inaccessibility in communication, transportation and hospitalization; if they were quarantined or infected with Covid-19. This study suggests that the state measures responding to the pandemic should meet disabled people’s individualized needs and provide services accordingly (including carers, support workers, personal assistants and accessible communication for people with vision and hearing impairments). In particular, disabled women, disabled people from low-income backgrounds and those who are relatively unhealthy, with rare diseases and/or multiple disabilities should be prioritized by the measures.