Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Socioeconomic Participation, Access to Services, Quality of Life, and Social Inclusion Among People with Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15294/jone.v12i2.58808Keywords:
disability inclusion; meta-analysis; social participation; intervention effectiveness; mixed-effects model; systematic reviewAbstract
Background – The persistent exclusion of people with disabilities from social, economic, and health systems remains a critical global issue, driven by structural barriers, stigma, and unequal access to resources. Despite a growing number of intervention studies, evidence on their comparative effectiveness across contexts remains fragmented.
Research Urgency – Existing disability interventions vary widely in design, implementation, and contextual adaptability, while systematic evidence on which models are most effective in improving inclusion outcomes is limited, particularly regarding how intervention types explain effect variability across studies.
Research Objectives – This study systematically synthesizes the effectiveness of disability-related interventions in improving social participation, access to services, and inclusion outcomes, and examines the moderating role of intervention type in explaining between-study heterogeneity.
Research Method – A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on 23 empirical studies. Random-effects and mixed-effects meta-regression models were applied to estimate pooled effect sizes and assess intervention type as a moderator of heterogeneity.
Research Findings – The results indicate a significant overall positive effect of interventions on inclusion outcomes (estimate = 0.480; p < 0.001; 95% CI: 0.229–0.732). Heterogeneity was low to moderate (I² = 28.11%, Q = 39.221, p = 0.013). Moderator analysis revealed that intervention type significantly influenced effect size (QM = 19.817, p = 0.0002), with certain intervention categories demonstrating stronger effects. Evidence of potential publication bias was observed (Egger’s test p < 0.001), although results remained stable under sensitivity analysis.
Research Conclusion – Disability-related interventions are generally effective in improving inclusion outcomes; however, their effectiveness depends significantly on the type of intervention implemented and contextual conditions.
Research Novelty/Contribution – This study provides a comprehensive quantitative synthesis of disability inclusion interventions and advances the literature by identifying intervention type as a significant moderator of effectiveness, offering evidence-based guidance for policy design and inclusive development strategies.
Downloads
References
Abera, M., Francis, G. L., Ahmed, A. N., Dawud, S., Ali, M., Shibabaw, G., Araya, B. M., Haines, S. J., & Aldersey, H. M. (2025). Collaboration for the inclusion of students with disabilities in education in Gondar, Ethiopia. African Journal of Disability, 14. https://doi.org/10.4102/AJOD.V14I0.1569
Afandi, M. A., Siregar, A. Y. M., Setiawan, M., & Effendi, N. (2026). Does financial inclusion improve the welfare of people living with disabilities? Evidence from Indonesia using a propensity score matching approach. BMC Public Health, 26(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27080-2
Aksnes, S. Y., & Ulstein, J. (2024). Sustainable employment for people with disabilities: A scoping review on workplace practices and positive employment outcomes. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 26(1), 189–210. https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1089
Alfredsson-Ågren, K., Hemmingsson, H., & Kjellberg, A. (2023). Internet activities and social and community participation among young people with learning disabilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 51(2), 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12519
Almeqdad, Q. I. (2023). The effectiveness of universal design for learning: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Cogent Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2218191
Aparicio, A., Arango, P., Espinoza, R., Villate, V., & Tenorio, M. (2021). Factors leading to effective social participation promotion interventions for people with intellectual disability: A protocol for a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 165. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01716-3
Baek, J. Y., Na, S. H., Lee, H., Jung, H. W., Lee, E., Jo, M. W., Park, Y. R., & Jang, I. Y. (2022). Implementation of an integrated home internet of things system for vulnerable older adults using a frailty-centered approach. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05963-9
Baldwin, H., Greenburgh, A., Weir, H., Asif, Z., Laporte, D., Bertram, M., Crawford, A., Duberry, G., Lauter, S., Lloyd-Evans, B., Lovelock, C., Das-Munshi, J., & Morgan, C. (2025). Targeted interventions to improve the social and economic circumstances of people with mental ill-health from marginalised communities: A systematic review. Psychological Medicine, 55. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291725101128
Banks, L. M., Kuper, H., & Polack, S. (2017). Poverty and disability in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 12(12), e0189996. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189996
Banks, L. M., Mearkle, R., Mactaggart, I., Walsham, M., Kuper, H., & Blanchet, K. (2017). Disability and social protection programmes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Oxford Development Studies, 45(3), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/13600818.2016.1142960
Bannatyne, A. J., Jones, C., Craig, B. M., Jones, D., & Forrest, K. (2023). A systematic review of mental health interventions to reduce self-stigma in medical students and doctors. Frontiers in Medicine, 10, 1204274. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1204274
Bong, W. K. (2024). Increasing faculty’s competence in digital accessibility for inclusive education: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(2), 197–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2021.1937344
Borg, J., Winberg, M., Eide, A. H., Calvo, I., Khasnabis, C., & Zhang, W. (2023). On the relation between assistive technology system elements and access to assistive products based on 20 country surveys. Healthcare, 11(9), 1313. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11091313
Braude, P., Lewis, E. G., Broach KC, S., Carlton, E., Rudd, S., Palmer, J., Walker, R., Carter, B., & Benger, J. (2025). Frailism: A scoping review exploring discrimination against people living with frailty. The Lancet Healthy Longevity, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanhl.2024.100651
Carneiro, L., Vaičekauskaitė, R., Kowalczyk, O., & Ćwirynkało, K. (2025). Breaking barriers: A commentary on research gaps in cancer and depression among individuals with intellectual disabilities. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02366-2
Chandola, T., & Rouxel, P. (2021). The role of workplace accommodations in explaining the disability employment gap in the UK. Social Science & Medicine, 285, 114313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114313
Chiu, M. S. (2020). Exploring models for increasing the effects of school information and communication technology use on learning outcomes through outside-school use and socioeconomic status mediation: The Ecological Techno-Process. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(1), 413–436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09707-x
Chumo, I., Kabaria, C., & Mberu, B. (2023). Social inclusion of persons with disability in employment: What would it take to socially support employed persons with disability in the labor market? Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 4, 1125129. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2023.1125129
Chung, E. Y.-H. (2019). Facilitating learning of community-based rehabilitation through problem-based learning in higher education. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), 433. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1868-4
Clarke, D. J., Powers, K., Trusson, D., Craven, K., Phillips, J., Holmes, J., McKevitt, C., Bowen, A., Watkins, C. L., Farrin, A. J., Wright-Hughes, A., Sach, T., Chambers, R., & Radford, K. (2024). The RETurn to work After stroKE (RETAKE) trial: Findings from a mixed-methods process evaluation of the Early Stroke Specialist Vocational Rehabilitation (ESSVR) intervention. PLOS ONE, 19(10), e0311101. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311101
Crockett, M. A., Núñez, D., & Martínez, P. (2025). Interventions to reduce mental health stigma in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2454730. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.54730
Darries, Z., Soeker, M. S., & Hilton, C. (2025). Factors influencing return to work among women with acquired brain injury. Occupational Therapy International, 2025, 9978566. https://doi.org/10.1155/oti/9978566
Dawson, R., Oliveira, J. S., Kwok, W. S., Bratland, M., Rajendran, I. M., & Srinivasan, A. (2024). Exercise interventions delivered through telehealth to improve physical functioning for older adults with frailty, cognitive, or mobility disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Telemedicine and e-Health, 30(4), 940–950. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2023.0177
De Alfieri, E., Giaquinto, V., Belluzzo, M., & Amodeo, A. L. (2026). Effective interventions for employment: A systematic review for individuals with disabling conditions of severe mental illnesses. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10522263251394320
de Lima, K. Y. N., McCausland, D., McCallion, P., & McCarron, M. (2026). Intergenerational change in health, well-being and social inclusion for two groups of adults with intellectual disability aged 40–49: Findings from a national longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 39(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.70254
Dell’Anna, S., Pellegrini, M., Ianes, D., & Vivanet, G. (2022). Learning, social, and psychological outcomes of students with moderate, severe, and complex disabilities in inclusive education: A systematic review. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 69(6), 2025–2041. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2020.1843143
Derbyshire, D. W., Jeanes, E., Khedmati Morasae, E., Reh, S., & Rogers, M. (2024). Employer-focused interventions targeting disability employment: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 347, 116742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116742
Elraz, H., & Remnant, J. (2025). Working against the backdrop of extreme marginalisation: Stigma and the social relational model for the setting of mental health conditions. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 36(20), 3757–3784. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2025.2608825
Fong, J. (2020). An evaluation of an education abroad program on the intercultural learning and cross-cultural adaptability skills of university undergraduates. Higher Education Evaluation and Development. https://doi.org/10.1108/HEED-01-2020-0002
Frederick, D. E., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2019). Supported employment: Meta-analysis and review of randomized controlled trials of individual placement and support. PLOS ONE, 14(2), e0212208. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212208
Fuentes, K., & Lindsay, S. (2023). Workplace accommodations during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review of the impacts and implications for people with disabilities. Work, 74(2). https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-220129
Giummarra, M. J., Randjelovic, I., & O’Brien, L. (2022). Interventions for social and community participation for adults with intellectual disability, psychosocial disability or on the autism spectrum: An umbrella systematic review. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, 935473. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.935473
Heinze, C. (2025). Workplace accommodations and employment outcomes among employees with autism: A systematic review. Cureus, 17(12), e99353. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.99353
Hunt, X., Saran, A., White, H., & Kuper, H. (2025). Effectiveness of interventions for improving educational outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 21(1), e70016. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.70016
Iemmi, V., Blanchet, K., Gibson, L. J., Kumar, K. S., Rath, S., Hartley, S., Murthy, G. V. S., Patel, V., Weber, J., & Kuper, H. (2016). Community-based rehabilitation for people with physical and mental disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Development Effectiveness, 8(3), 368–387. https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2016.1157623
Isidoro-Cabañas, E., Soto-Rodríguez, F. J., Morales-Rodríguez, F. M., & Pérez-Mármol, J. M. (2023). Benefits of adaptive sport on physical and mental quality of life in people with physical disabilities: A meta-analysis. Healthcare, 11(18), 2480. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11182480
Kandeel, M., Morsy, M. A., Alkhodair, K., & Alhojaily, S. (2024). Digital health interventions for individuals with disabilities and their impacts on health, quality of life, and social participation. Digital Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241294190
Kongngern, F., Prina, M., Akhter-Khan, S. C., Gao, Q., Prince, M., & Mayston, R. (2025). A systematic review of frailty interventions in community-based low and middle-income settings. International Journal of Public Health, 70, 1608089. https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2025.1608089
Kuper, H., Azizatunnisa’, L., Rodríguez Gatta, D., Rotenberg, S., Banks, L. M., Smythe, T., & Heydt, P. (2024). Building disability-inclusive health systems. The Lancet Public Health, 9(5), e316–e325. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(24)00042-2
Lackey, S., Watson Hyatt, G., Batorowicz, B., van Engelen, S., Li, S., Pinder, S., & Davies, T. C. (2023). Barriers and facilitators to accommodations in the workplace for adults who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): A systematic review. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 39(3), 181–197. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2023.2170277
Layton, N., Spann, A., Khan, M., Contepomi, S., Hoogerwerf, E. J., Bell, D., & de Witte, L. (2024). Guidelines for assistive technology service provision A scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(8), 2806–2817. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2024.2327515
Lindsay, S., Leo, S., Phonepraseuth, J., & Cao, P. (2025). A systematic review of racial health disparities among children and youth with physical disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 47(14), 3484–3506. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2024.2427347
Maclean, N., Geiger, M., & Ned, L. (2024). Employment equity targets: How a state-owned enterprise recruits people with disabilities. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 22, a2355. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v22i0.2355
Martínez-Jothar, G., Brummelaar, M. T., & López, M. L. (2025). What we know about the stigma of systems-involved youth: A scoping review of intersectional research with marginalised youth in contact with social services. Children and Youth Services Review, 174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2025.108329
Mavindidze, E., Nhunzvi, C., Van Niekerk, L., & Yazdani, A. (2023). Supported employment interventions for workplace mental health of persons with mental disabilities in low-to-middle income countries: A scoping review. PLOS ONE, 18(9), e0291869. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291869
McCullock, S. P., & Scrivano, R. M. (2023). The effectiveness of mental illness stigma-reduction interventions: A systematic meta-review of meta-analyses. Clinical Psychology Review, 100, 102242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102242
Mesmar, A., Limungi, G. M., Elmadani, M., Simon, K., Hamad, O., Tóth, L., Horvath, E., & Mate, O. (2025). Bridging healthcare disparities: A systematic review of healthcare access for disabled individuals in rural and urban areas. Frontiers in Health Services, 5, 1695320. https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2025.1695320
Mishra, S., Laplante-Lévesque, A., Barbareschi, G., De Witte, L., Abdi, S., Spann, A., Khasnabis, C., & Allen, M. (2024). Assistive technology needs, access and coverage, and related barriers and facilitators in the WHO European region: A scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(2), 474–485. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2022.2099021
Mitra, S., Yap, J., Hervé, J., & Chen, W. (2023). Inclusive statistics: A disaggregation of indicators by disability status and its implications for policy. Global Social Policy, 23(1), 39–66. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680181221077866
Monamo, T. T., Keetile, M., & Letamo, G. (2025). Determinants of old age disability in Botswana: An empirical investigation using generalized linear models. BMC Geriatrics, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06534-z
Morwane, R. E., Dada, S., & Bornman, J. (2021). Barriers to and facilitators of employment of persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review. African Journal of Disability, 10, a833. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v10i0.833
Nevala, N., Pehkonen, I., Koskela, I., Ruusuvuori, J., & Anttila, H. (2015). Workplace accommodation among persons with disabilities: A systematic review of its effectiveness and barriers or facilitators. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 25(2), 432–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-014-9548-z
Obi, S. (2015). Interdisciplinary connections to special education: Important aspects to consider. Advances in Special Education, 30A. https://doi.org/10.1108/s0270-40132015000030a013
Oña, A., Pacheco Barzallo, A., Toaquiza, J., & Pacheco Barzallo, D. (2026). Environmental barriers to participation for people with spinal cord injury: The case of Ecuador. Disability and Health Journal, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2025.101929
Oteng, C., & Gamette, P. (2025). Intersectionality of access and use of clean energy consumption among persons with disability in Ghana. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 17(4), 100175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rspp.2025.100175
Park, H. N., Kang, G., Nam, H. J., Lee, S., Kim, B., Lee, H., & Yoon, J. Y. (2025). The use of telehealth for people with disabilities: A systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(3), 1241–1258. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16470
Patmisari, E., Huang, Y., Orr, M., Govindasamy, S., Hielscher, E., & McLaren, H. (2024). Supported employment interventions with people who have severe mental illness: Systematic mixed-methods umbrella review. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0304527. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304527
Petroutsou, A., Hassiotis, A., & Afia, A. (2018). Loneliness in people with intellectual and developmental disorders across the lifespan: A systematic review of prevalence and interventions. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(5), 643–658. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12432
Pinilla-Roncancio, M., & Rodríguez Caicedo, N. (2022). Legislation on disability and employment: To what extent are employment rights guaranteed for persons with disabilities? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(9), 5654. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095654
Rajasulochana, S. R., & Khan, M. I. (2024). Does access to assistive technologies enhance labour force participation amongst the disabled population? Evidence from India. International Journal of Manpower, 45(6). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-03-2023-0107
Samala, A. D. (2023). Metaverse technologies in education: A systematic literature review using PRISMA. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 18(5), 231–252. https://doi.org/10.3991/IJET.V18I05.35501
Srinivasan, H. (2026). Silent signals: Autism, disability, and heat vulnerability in a warming world. Global Public Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17441692.2026.2671510
Teborg, S., Hünefeld, L., & Gerdes, T. S. (2024). Exploring the working conditions of disabled employees: A scoping review. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 19(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-023-00397-z
Vogt, Y. (2025). Disability and algorithmic fairness in healthcare: A narrative review. Journal of Medical Artificial Intelligence, 8. https://doi.org/10.21037/jmai-24-415
Wong, J., Kallish, N., Crown, D., Capraro, P., Trierweiler, R., Wafford, Q. E., & Heinemann, A. W. (2021). Job accommodations, return to work and job retention of people with physical disabilities: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 31(3), 474–490. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-020-09954-3
Wong, J. C. M., Chua, J. Y. X., Chan, P. Y., & Shorey, S. (2024). Effectiveness of educational interventions in reducing the stigma of healthcare professionals and healthcare students towards mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(10), 4074–4088. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16127
Zhou, L., & Parmanto, B. (2019). Reaching people with disabilities in underserved areas through digital interventions: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(10), e12981. https://doi.org/10.2196/12981
Downloads
Published
Article ID
58808Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Malik, Sunardi Sunardi, Suminah Suminah, Haryani Haryani, Ghanis Putra Widhanarto (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.