ANALYSIS OF THE DISABILITY PUBLIC POLICY IN RELATION TO CAREGIVERS. COLOMBIA, 2013-2017

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the disability public policy in Colombia in relation to caregivers. Method: this study consisted of a retrospective and descriptive public policy analysis. All official documents of a national nature, in the period between 2013 and 2017, were taken as sources of information. An inventory of norms was carried out: policies, laws, and regulatory administrative acts or concordant with the disability policy. A systematic reading was carried out organizing the contents in three a priori categories: norms related to the disability policy and the right to health, gaps related to the caregivers regarding actions directed to them, and dynamics of familiarization of the care of people with disabilities. Results: the findings showed a total of 16 norms that express the relationship between disability and right to health. A 64% refer to actions aimed at caregivers, 53% have content related to the dynamics of familiarization of care, and 36% show gaps regarding caregivers of people with disabilities. Conclusions: From the perspective of the right to health, care is conceived as an assistance service, without recognition and participation of the caregiver. Although in some of the reviewed norms the role of the caregiver is taken into account, in most of them the role of care is familiarized, limiting it to the private sphere, in addition to making the importance of the caregiver invisible in the process of social and political participation of the caregivers of people with disabilities.