Community Support for Persons with Disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Public Health
• International Development

Background:

• Persons with disabilities require ongoing support for community integration and equal participation.
• Access to community living is a fundamental right, yet disparities persist globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of literature on community support for persons with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• To identify gaps, barriers, and existing strategies for community support provision across the life course.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature.
• Analysis of formal and informal strategies and interventions for community support.

Main Results:

• Significant gaps and barriers exist in accessing community support for persons with disabilities in LMICs.
• Evidence on the effectiveness and coverage of existing support strategies is limited.
• The roles of community-based rehabilitation and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities require clearer articulation.

Conclusions:

• Effective community support for persons with disabilities in LMICs necessitates addressing access gaps and barriers.
• Further research with robust theory of change models is crucial for identifying effective interventions and practices.