Low-Mobility Urban Groups as Beneficiaries and Actors of Social Support During the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Results of a Sociological Survey

The article presents some of the findings of a survey among the low-mobility groups on the availability of social support, participation in social communications, and attitudes towards solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The pandemic has sharpened the issues of accessibility and inclusion of the institutional environment, while the role of mutual assistance and non-state actors in the well-being of the population has noticeably increased. In this article, we aim to capture the broader panorama of responses to the pandemic, focusing our perspective on people with limited mobility. The survey involved 540 respondents representing three groups with limited mobility: people with disabilities, elderly people experiencing difficulties with movement, pregnant women and parents of children under three years of age. With the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, the living conditions of many social groups have deteriorated due to the imposed quarantine and forced self-isolation of the population. The deteriorating position of low-mobility groups has become a matter of concern for international organizations and government agencies. The concern is not only about the need to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities and health limitations in the life of society, but also about the identification and elimination of various forms of discrimination of any social group. The survey conducted in Kazan, Tomsk, and Saratov in the spring and summer of 2021 revealed the difficulties and reasons for the concern of the respondents. According to the data obtained, the greatest difficulties and concerns of the respondents are due to the inaccessibility of help and support and the sharp restriction of communication with loved ones. An important criterion for perceiving the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic was the respondents' illness experience. Personal experience determines the level of severity of perception of the coronavirus and the consequences of its spread, as well as the mood for solidarity with others, even unfamiliar people, when they need help. Measures taken by the state and ways of support found by society during the pandemic can contribute to the further development of the inclusive agenda in all spheres of life.

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