Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of the disabled persons registered in two urban-rural areas using the functional status and activities of daily living score in order to help planning of Community-Based Rehabilitatio...
Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of the disabled persons registered in two urban-rural areas using the functional status and activities of daily living score in order to help planning of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program.
Method : The subjects were 610 physical and brain-disabled persons who were registered in two public health centers. We evaluated the general status, medical status including major organ symptom and sign, functional status using modified Barthel Index.
Results : The total number who was consulted to this project was 610, male 369 and female 241. The most (83.8%) had unemployed. The most common age was above the fifth decade. Disability onset was most common in under teenage and sixth decade afterwords. The disease was most common cause of disability, congenital disease and a traffic accident was in order of frequency. 265(44.6%) cases have medical problem, among them hypertension and diabetes mellitus was most common problem(83.1%). 262 cases (43.0%) have joint contracture. The speech disturbance was accompanied about 30% cases. It appeared that taking a bath (3.28/5) and going upstairs (6.08/10) were low-end score in the relation of functional items. Average score for the disability grade were 48.85 point in the first grade, 84.19 point in the second grade, 97.06 point in the third grade. Brain-disabled persons had lower scores than physically disabled persons from almost all functional items for the disability type, in case of first disability grade. But it was similar scores from the second and third grade.
Conclusion :As a result of this study, old disabled persons need to have a regular health examination for the adult diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to educate the disabled persons and caregivers to prevent contracture of the joints and to provide the home-visit service including bathing service. For the prevention of disability it should be focused for the management of high risk diseases and accident prevention.