Lebanese qualitative study identifies five barriers to workforce inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities

A qualitative study based on 11 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in Lebanon identified five broad barriers to the employment inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities: segregated work settings and inadequate public-sector resources, societal and family stigma, gaps in education and transition support, weak implementation of Law 220, and insufficient support for employers. The findings summarize stakeholder perspectives rather than measured employment outcomes.

The researchers conducted interviews with stakeholders from Lebanon’s private and public sectors. Transcripts were analyzed thematically, and the results were organized using the socio-ecological model. The study therefore examined perspectives on a range of barriers within an occupational setting; it did not directly survey people with intellectual disabilities or their families.

The abstract reports that workforce integration remains limited and challenging, including through segregated settings and a lack of public-sector resources. Societal and familial stigma was described as hindering community acceptance. The authors also identified educational deficiencies, particularly a lack of early integrated programs and professional transition support, alongside problematic implementation of Law 220, which the study reports lacks enforcement mechanisms. Employers were described as lacking adequate support, with negative perceptions and environmental barriers contributing to that situation.

Drawing on the stakeholder interviews, the study’s authors recommend updating existing legislation to align with international standards and establishing active enforcement mechanisms. They also identify early educational integration, public awareness and cross-sectoral coordination as priorities. These are institutional and policy recommendations derived from participants’ perspectives, not evaluations of specific interventions. The authors emphasize the need for future research that directly engages people with intellectual disabilities and their families. Because the supplied evidence is an abstract and the sample comprised only 11 stakeholders, the findings provide a bounded qualitative account rather than population-level evidence about employment rates or the effects of particular policies.

Subject of Research: Qualitative study of barriers to workforce inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities in Lebanon

Article Title: Barriers to the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into the Lebanese workforce: a qualitative study

Article References: Khairallah, G. M., Abbas, T., Salameh, E., Lamah, E., Haroun, J., Siddik, M., Fadlallah, H., Kreidieh, L., Layoun, C. J., Rahme, D. V., & Sakr, C. J. (2026). Barriers to the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into the Lebanese workforce: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-29929-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-29929-y

Keywords: intellectual disabilities, workforce inclusion, Lebanon, employment barriers, qualitative interviews, stigma, special education, employment law, employer support, Barriers, inclusion, people