Students’ Attitudes Toward Wheelchair Users in Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia: A Cross-Sectional Study During Wartime and Social Change

Abstract Background Wheelchair users face significant daily challenges, many of which are the result of physical, social, and attitudinal barriers in society rather than their impairment alone. Public attitudes toward this group are shaped by personal experience, awareness, and the availability of accessible infrastructure. In Ukraine, the number of people with disabilities has increased due to the ongoing war, highlighting the relevance of student perspectives in this context. Objective To compare the attitudes of students from Ukraine and the Visegrad Group (V4) countries—Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia—toward wheelchair users. Materials and Methods In 2024, a total of 997 students from Poland, 1222 from the Czech Republic, 918 from Slovakia, and 986 from Ukraine participated in a survey using the standardized Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS). Sampling was non-random and based on convenience, which limits the representativeness of the findings. Results Cognitive and behavioral components of attitudes were generally stable and comparable across all four groups. However, significant differences were observed in the emotional subscale, with Ukrainian students demonstrating more positive attitudes. The median total MAS score was lower (indicating more favorable attitudes) for Ukrainian students (60) compared to Poland, Slovakia (68), and the Czech Republic (71). Conclusions Ukrainian students reported more positive emotional attitudes toward wheelchair users compared to peers from Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. These results highlight the influence of social context on attitudes toward people with disabilities.

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Publication Details

Journal
Bratislavské lekárske listy/Bratislava medical journal
Published
2025-09-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44411-025-00282-7
Primary Topic
Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
Type
article
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article

Students’ Attitudes Toward Wheelchair Users in Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia: A Cross-Sectional Study During Wartime and Social Change

Andriy Bazylevych, Igor Khudetskyy, Jozef Babečka, Andrea Pokorná et al.
Bratislavské lekárske listy/Bratislava medical journal
Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
article

Students’ Attitudes Toward Wheelchair Users in Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia: A Cross-Sectional Study During Wartime and Social Change

Andriy Bazylevych, Igor Khudetskyy, Jozef Babečka, Andrea Pokorná, Liudmila Vilchynskaya, Andriej Szpakow, Jana Juříková, Rafał Modzelewski, Olga Fedortsiv, Ľubica Bánovčinová, Iwona Gładysz, Beata Kowalewska, Joanna Baj–Korpak, Krystyna Kowalczuk, Oryna Detsyk, Beata Karakiewicz, Oksana Hdyrya, Yuliia Antonova-Rafi, Lucia Demjanovič Kendrová, Emilia Harasim-Piszczatowska
article en

Abstract

Abstract Background Wheelchair users face significant daily challenges, many of which are the result of physical, social, and attitudinal barriers in society rather than their impairment alone. Public attitudes toward this group are shaped by personal experience, awareness, and the availability of accessible infrastructure. In Ukraine, the number of people with disabilities has increased due to the ongoing war, highlighting the relevance of student perspectives in this context. Objective To compare the attitudes of students from Ukraine and the Visegrad Group (V4) countries—Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia—toward wheelchair users. Materials and Methods In 2024, a total of 997 students from Poland, 1222 from the Czech Republic, 918 from Slovakia, and 986 from Ukraine participated in a survey using the standardized Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS). Sampling was non-random and based on convenience, which limits the representativeness of the findings. Results Cognitive and behavioral components of attitudes were generally stable and comparable across all four groups. However, significant differences were observed in the emotional subscale, with Ukrainian students demonstrating more positive attitudes. The median total MAS score was lower (indicating more favorable attitudes) for Ukrainian students (60) compared to Poland, Slovakia (68), and the Czech Republic (71). Conclusions Ukrainian students reported more positive emotional attitudes toward wheelchair users compared to peers from Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. These results highlight the influence of social context on attitudes toward people with disabilities.

Bratislavské lekárske listy/Bratislava medical journalVol. 126(11)
Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University (UA), Medical University of Białystok (PL), University of Prešov (SK), National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute” (UA), Masaryk University (CZ), Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University (UA), Lviv City Children's Hospital (UA), Akademia Bialska im. Jana Pawła II (PL), Akademia Łomżyńska (PL), Edward F. Szczepanik State School of Higher Professional Education in Suwalki (PL), Malopolska Association For Agricultural Extension At The Agricultural University of Cracow (PL), I.Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University (UA), Catholic University in Ruzomberok (SK), Comenius University Bratislava (SK), Pomeranian Medical University (PL)
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Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
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