ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates participation of people with disabilities inside service delivery with a specific focus on access to healthcare. It uses a structural equation modelling approach to estimate the relationships of social and environmental barriers with participation at the doctor's surgery. This analysis was based on participation in leisure activities undertaken in a variety of settings over a 30-day time period. For the analysis described in the chapter, a different measure, the Survey of Participation and Receptivity in the Community (SPARC), was used to collect data based on the specific site of participation rather than the general activity of participating in healthcare. The goal of this project was to increase awareness of the relative importance of the various variables reported in the literature that are barriers to participation at healthcare facilities. The results from this study indicate the importance of improving receptivity and communication between healthcare providers and individuals with disabilities.
