A Factorial Study of Accessibility Requirements for Paraplegics Mobility in Built Up Environment

This paper examines various variables that hinder or facilitate paraplegics accessibility to public buildings in Nigeria, especially storey buildings, up to the point of service delivery. To address this problem, this study introduced a survey approach, incorporating the method of Rensis Likert’s attitudinal scale, to generate respondents’ data matrix that was analysed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) using statistiXL software. Spectacularly, our model clustered the gamut of variables, each weilding significant loading on a factor, into nine distinct factors which were creatively labeled: accessibility enhancers, inclusive design legislation, mobility difficulties, utility of mobility aids, user-friendliness of systems, utility of monocoque, social welfarism, helpfulness of inclusive design and, person centricity design. Furthermore, our findings provide support for the notion that the proposed monocoque is an imperative. The paper concludes by suggesting that the outcome of this research is needful and helpful to Town Planners, Architects, Human Factors Engineers (Ergonomists), Civil Engineers, Social Workers and, especially the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), in our society’s effort to whittle down the perceived mobility challenges of the paraplegics in Nigeria.