I'm not sure if you would consider this "literature", but the Harris Poll
recently did a survey in the US regarding disability and experiences of
isolation from community (dated July 5, 2000). See
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=97
At 08:52 AM 08/15/2000 +1000, you wrote:
>Dear all
>
>I am undertaking a project entitled "Community Inclusion: Enhancing
>Friendship Networks of People with Disabilities"
>
>In its current form the project will examine the importance of social
>networks to people with disabilities and identify appropriate services
>models that facilitate and maintain social networks. The aims of the
>project are:
>· To investigate the nature and extent of existing social networks of
>people with a disability;
>· To identify existing service models and evaluate their usefulness in
>the creation and maintenance of social
> networks; and
>· To make recommendations for future research, policy development and
>the enhancement of service delivery.
>
>The current proposal takes as its starting point the importance of informal
>social ties to people with disabilities.
>
>Facilitation of social and friendship networks has been relatively
>neglected in the literature. In light of evidence which shows that people
>with robust social networks have enhanced health status and improved
>quality of life, contemporary disability services need to now develop a
>focus on supporting the social networks of people with disabilities. In
>addition, it has been shown that individuals who experience higher levels
>of informal social support place less demand on formalised support services
>than those with lower levels of informal support.
>
>Given the above, I wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction
>in terms of literature in this area. There appears to be a paucity of
>information on the importance of assisting individuals to create and
>maintain their own social networks.
>
>Any assistance would be appreciated.
>
>Many thanks
>
>Kate Bergen
>DisAbility Research Unit
>Department of Human Services
>Melbourne
>Australia 3000
Elaine Gerber, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate,
Policy Research and Program Evaluation
American Foundation for the Blind
phone: (212) 502-7644
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