Preventing ragging: outcome of an integrated programme in a medical faculty in Sri Lanka.

Ragging is prevalent in higher educational institutes in Sri Lanka and the deaths of some new entrants in the past have been directly linked to physical and emotional torture caused by cruel acts of ragging. Although there are general anti-ragging rules in place, the effectiveness of these measures is unknown. We developed an action plan to prevent ragging by integrating the views of the major stakeholders, implemented the plan and assessed its success. This article highlights the action plan and its success in a medical faculty in southern Sri Lanka.

Exploring the factors that influence the perceptions of disability: a qualitative study of mothers of children with disabilities at a community-based rehabilitation centre in Sri Lanka.

Background: The prevalence of disability is growing worldwide; however, perceptions regarding disability are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence the perception of disability among mothers of children with disabilities who were attending a community-based rehabilitation facility in Sri Lanka. Methods: A descriptive qualitative research design was employed. Thirteen semistructured interviews were conducted with participants receiving rehabilitation services at a community-based facility. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded using software for qualitative data. Results: Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (i) level of family and community support; (ii) spiritual and cultural interpretations of disability; and (iii) outcomes of rehabilitation services. Perceptions of disability appeared to be strongly influenced by the social, community and spiritual/cultural support structure in which the mothers lived. In particular, the support from the participant’s spouse emerged as a primary factor exerting strong influence on perception, and future outlook, among the participants. Engagement in community-based rehabilitation programming also reinforced positive perceptions, created a sense of hope among participants regarding their child’s future, and established aspirations for future education and employment opportunities alongside social integration. Conclusion: Knowledge of factors that influence the perception of disability can inform future implementation of public-health and community-based initiatives, and may improve social integration of children with disabilities in lower-resource settings.