Prevalence of disability among adolescents and adults in rural China

Disability affects health status and quality of life; however, insufficient research has been done in developing countries using internationally accepted measurements.

We investigated disabilities, sociodemographics, health indicators, and health behaviors using a sample of rural residents in northern China. We reported disability prevalence by age for our study sample and for a sample of rural residents who participated in the 1999-2002 Colorado Disability Survey.

Face-to-face interviews were conducted in 2008, and complete questionnaires were obtained from 2199 individuals 15 years old or older. The definition of disability was conceptually based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Of those who completed the survey, 154 (7.0%) reported having disabilities. The prevalence was 2.3% for limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and 3.1% for limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Significant differences in the disability prevalence were found across the categories of education, age, and marital status. Among individuals with disabilities, 54.6% rated their health status as poor or very poor compared to 13.4% of people without a disability. A strong association was seen between disability status and injury. A large proportion (79.9%) of persons with disabilities, as well as 82.2% of persons without disabilities, reported paying for their medical expenses out-of-pocket. The age pattern of disabilities (ADL and IADL) was similar to that seen in a rural Colorado population.

Many rural Chinese individuals with disabilities report poor general health and may face further limitations in their daily activities and social participation without accessible and affordable health care.