Access to services and complications experienced by disabled people in Thailand

The number of people with disabilities who have experienced complications such as bedsores or joint problems in Thailand is increasing. This has an impact on the health system and on the community. This paper aimed to study the accessibility of the health system to disabled people and the complications experienced by them. A cross-sectional survey using multistage random sampling to select a sample of 406 people with physical disability in the north of Thailand. Data were collected using questionnaires administered by health professionals. More than half of the sample had access to all health care services (55.4%). The most accessible services were health promotion (94.3%) and physical rehabilitation (66.7%). Continuing physical rehabilitation services were available to 45.8%. More than half of those surveyed had complications (59.9%). The most common complication experienced was fixed-joints (25.1%). These complications were related to the availability of continuing physical rehabilitation services (P = .01). Most disabled people were dependent on the state welfare system. Less than half had access to continuing of physical rehabilitation services, and more than half had complications. Early access to physical rehabilitation services and continuing access are needed to prevent disabilities.