Disability in Rural Population –A community based cross sectional study

Abstract

Introduction Disability is part of the human condition. Almost everyone will be temporarily or permanently impaired at some point in life. Over a billion people live with some form of disability; this corresponds to about 15% of the world's population. This number is growing by about 10 million a year, or over 25,000 a day. By the year 2035, the global prevalence is estimated at 667 million. Little is done today to provide any meaningful level of services needed by disabled people in the developing countries. Research Question What is the prevalence of disability in the rural community? Objectives 1) To study the prevalence of disability in the rural population 2) To study the rehabilitative services used by the persons with disability Materials and method A community based cross sectional study was done in 2012 among 1,270 households of Vantamuri Sub-Centre (Vantamuri Primary Health Centre), Belgaum District using predesigned and pretested questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done by using percentages and chi square test. Results Over all prevalence of disability was 2.2%. Among persons with disability visual disability (40.13%) was maximum, next highest was locomotor disability (23.02%), followed by hearing disability (7.24%), mental disability (5.92%) and speech disability (5.26%). About 1/5th had multiple disabilities (18.43%). Prevalence of disability was significantly more in males and in illiterates. Skilled workers were more disabled compared to other occupational groups. Only 49.3% of persons with disability had taken services/intervention for disability. Out of those who received services/intervention, 60% had taken services / intervention from the private sector. 15% of persons with disability had taken benefit of disability pension; none had taken benefit of concessional bus/train pass. Conclusion Two out of 100 persons were disabled and visual disability was most common type of disability. Only half of the persons with disability had received any services or intervention for disability.