Background: Though literature has been published since the 1960s supporting the need for adaptive apparel, today’s clothing market of ready-made apparel often fails to meet the needs of people with disabilities (PWDs). Since clothing directly impacts our physical health and has been shown to influence body image, self-esteem, and opportunities, such as employment, the lack of adaptive apparel in the current clothing industry perpetuates the marginalization of PWDs. Further, contemporary research looking at the consumption of clothing by PWDs through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework in non-existent. Design: Qualitative methods were used to describe the lived experiences of how individuals with disabilities experience clothing. From the consumer perspective, both functional and symbolic aspects of clothing were explored. The data were gathered through individual in-depth interviews, lasting on average 33 minutes, in which participants responded to a set of predetermined semi-structured questions. Interviews were conducted over the phone, in-person, or through web-based video and chat facilitated sessions, were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes. Participants: Participants were recruited from around the globe through web-based convenience sampling (n=20), were at least 18 years of age, were English speaking and identified as having at least one disability. In the end, 75% of the sample identified as female (n=15), 60% were wheelchair users (n=12), 15% were individuals with at least one major amputation (n=3), 15% had spinal curvatures greater than 30 degrees (n=3), and 10% had medical diagnoses outside of these broad categories. Seventeen interviews were conducted with individuals residing in the USA, three in other nations (2 United Kingdom, 1 Burkina Faso). The mean age was 38 years (range 16 – 70 years). Results: Qualitative analysis identified three major themes: 1) Participants express disappointment in the style availability, and pricing options of current adaptive attire available; 1a) Participants express disappointment in the style, availability and pricing options of current adaptive attire available; 2) In additional to disability-related needs and challenges, participants also reported clothing frustrations unrelated to attributes of their disability; 3) Clothing plays an intimate role with all three aspects of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Model. Conclusion: Interviews with PWDs help provide a useful framework upon which innovation in the field of apparel design can blossom. Understanding the ways in which people experience and consume their clothing through a multidimensional framework of the ICF can be used to facilitate the production of better-quality apparel products with wide appeal and potential usage by consumers of diverse abilities, including our growing aging population. Keywords: adaptive attire, inclusive design, universal design, garment construction, apparel, disability studies, wheelchair user, scoliosis, paraplegia, quality of life
Sarcone, Krystal Suzanne,
"Marginalized Consumers: Exploring Disability, Body Image, and Clothing Consumption"
(2017).
Public Health Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0CF9NKV
