A Study of Disability Severity, Barriers, and Facilitating Factors in Accessing Healthcare Among Differently Abled...

Disability impacts many individuals, thus restricting access to necessary healthcare. Barriers that affect health equity among people with disabilities include physical inaccessibility, financial constraints, and stigma in society. This study aims to report on the level of disability and factors determining healthcare access among adult differently abled persons in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, focusing on the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0).

In this cross-sectional study, 300 differently abled adults affiliated with the Tamil Nadu Udavikkaram Association participated. The severity of disability was assessed using WHODAS 2.0, while a structured questionnaire elicited details on socio-demographic characteristics, barriers to healthcare utilization, and facilitating factors. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA), with descriptive statistics and odds ratios calculated for key variables.

Most participants (N=286, 93%) had mild levels of disability with problems mainly in self-care and mobility. The main barriers reported were healthcare expenses, distance to facilities, and lack of family support. Key facilitators were government schemes and assistive devices. Socio-economic factors like income and education showed marked correlations with the severity of disability.

Healthcare access varies with disability severity, revealing a need for targeted financial, familial, and accessibility interventions to reduce disparity. Future longitudinal studies may provide insights into the development of policies and programs to support individuals living with disabilities.