Types and factors affecting and impact of ableism among Asian children and youth with disabilities and their caregivers: a systematic review of quantitative studies

PurposeAsian children and youth with disabilities often experience multiple barriers and discrimination in education, healthcare, and social settings, which influence their well-being, especially the transition to adulthood. This review aims to explore the types, factors affecting and impact of ableism on Asian children and youth with disabilities and their caregivers.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and a narrative synthesis whereby we searched the literature from six international databases, including Healthstar, Ovid Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science.ResultsTwenty-nine studies were included in the review, and three themes were identified that related to ableism: (1) types and rates of ableism (i.e., stigma, bullying and victimization, and discrimination and inequalities); (2) factors affecting ableism (i.e. sociodemographic factors, familial factors, and societal factors); and (3) impacts of ableism (i.e. mental health, family impacts, and societal impacts).ConclusionsOur review highlights that ableism has various types and can be influenced by multiple factors, influencing social and health outcomes of Asian families with children and youth with disabilities. This review also emphasizes the importance of increasing the public's awareness regarding disabilities to reduce ableism among Asian families with children with disabilities. Asian children and youth with disabilities often experience bullying and victimization, therefore it is necessary to develop educational materials to raise awareness of disabilities.Healthcare providers should consider developing more educational programs for caregivers to reduce self-stigma and affiliate stigma and promote mental health. Healthcare service providers should consider creating and implementing more inclusive programs to reduce health disparities and the influence of socio-demographic factors.