Relations between indoor rehabilitation and basic health services in a developing country

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Physical rehabilitation is crucial for patient recovery and functional restoration.
• Developing countries face significant barriers to providing adequate rehabilitation services.
• Understanding patient demographics and available resources is key to improving rehabilitation programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze indoor rehabilitation programs in a developing country.
• To correlate patient demographics and medical conditions with available health and rehabilitation facilities.
• To identify challenges within the rehabilitation sector.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods study in an inpatient rehabilitation ward.
• Retrospective review of medical records for 1,309 patients admitted for at least two weeks.
• Online literature search to supplement data analysis and discussion.

Main Results:

• The patient population (10:7 male-female ratio) predominantly aged 46-60 years.
• Musculoskeletal and neurological conditions were most common (79.8%), with most admissions from outpatient departments (78%).
• Despite 60.8% discharged home, many patients were lost prematurely, with significant data gaps and resource limitations exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions:

• A negative correlation exists between the country's rehabilitation process and socio-demographic variables.
• Incomplete medical records and premature patient dropout are significant issues.
• Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent, and successful program completion leads to home discharge.