Disability and access to health care - a community based descriptive study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Disability Studies

Background:

• The World Disability Report emphasizes the critical need for improved health and medical rehabilitation access for individuals with disabilities.
• Low-income communities often present unique challenges in healthcare service delivery and utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utilization of health-related services among individuals with disabilities in a low-income urban area.
• To identify unmet needs and barriers to accessing healthcare and rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.

Main Methods:

• A community-based survey was conducted in a deprived area of Cape Town.
• A representative sample of 1083 households was selected using random cluster sampling, with 152 individuals with disabilities interviewed.

Main Results:

• Individuals with disabilities were more likely to be male and unemployed.
• Significant unmet needs were reported for home-based care (54%), assistive devices (34.5%), and medical rehabilitation (28.9%).
• Inadequate finances (71%) and transport problems (72%) were the primary barriers to accessing services, with the elderly (over 65) facing greater challenges in receiving required rehabilitation.

Conclusions:

• There is a pressing need to expand rehabilitation services, including home-based care and assistive devices, particularly for the elderly and those with disabilities.
• Services must become more affordable and accessible, addressing transport limitations and high unemployment rates.
• Rehabilitation and health services should proactively reach out to underserved populations, including the elderly and those with less common disabilities, to ensure equitable care.