Disability-related stigma and discrimination and their correlates: insights from a cross-sectional study in western Kenya.

backgroundPeople with disabilities are likely to experience stigma and discrimination. Our study aimed to understand the distribution of disability-related stigma and its correlates among smallholder farmers in western Kenya.

methodsWe used hurdle models to explore the factors associated with the occurrence and magnitude of enacted stigma among farmers without disabilities and of experienced stigma among farmers with disabilities.

resultsOverall, 41.3% of those without disabilities reported enacted stigma. Those who had attended school were more likely to report enacted stigma compared with those who had never been to school (multivariable model adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.40 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.09 to 1.80]). Employees were more likely to report enacted stigma compared with independent workers without employees (OR 1.28 [95% CI 1.03 to 1.58]) while those who were not employed were less likely to (OR 0.77 [95% CI 0.65 to 0.92]). Overall, 36.6% of those with disabilities reported having experienced stigma or discrimination. Men, those with a physical disability or a psychosocial disability were more likely to experience stigma than women and those who did not have these conditions (OR 1.89 [95% CI 1.04 to 3.42], OR 2.98 [95% CI 1.68 to 5.28] and OR 1.91 [95% CI 1.09 to 3.33], respectively). Employees were less likely to experience stigma than independent workers without employees (OR 0.53 [95% CI 0.30 to 0.96]).

conclusionsRelationships between individual characteristics and disability-related stigma need to be further understood to help guide stigma-reduction programmes.