A Study of the Problems and Rehabilitation Care Needs of Persons with Physical Disability in the Community

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore the problems and rehabilitation care needs of persons with physical disability in the Ban Haet Sub-district, Ban Haet District, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. The 54 participants included 38 key informants (19 people with physical disabilities and 19 primary caregivers) and 16 secondary informants involved in the rehabilitation of persons with physical disabilities. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews which were evaluated by experts to ensure the instrument’s quality. Descriptive and content analysis were utilized to analyze the data.         

          The study revealed that persons with physical disabilities and their families have the following characteristics: 1) Most persons with physical disabilities (PWPA) were seniors. The average age of the  participating PWPAs was 63 years, with a majority (68.43%) being female, and their average duration of their disability was 6.72 years; 2) approximately 47.37% of the PWPAs were living with an older spouse who served as their family caregiver, And, additionally, some PWPAs also had chronic illnesses or mental health conditions; 3) some PWPAs stayed alone at home during the day because their caregiver had to work outside the home; and 4) some PWPAs used to be family leaders responsible for earning the most of the family's income, so their disability has impacted the family's economic status. Thus, the community has to provide care for persons with physical disabilities including: 1) improving or modifying their homes to accommodate routine activities; 2) providing individualized occupational skill training based on their physical limitations and previous skills; and 3) providing mental and emotional support from the community via home visits, access to and participating in physical rehabilitation, and opportunities to be actively involved in community events. The findings of this study should be beneficial for health professionals, local governments, and other relevant organizations involved in providing adequate rehabilitation services for people with physical disabilities and their families. These findings represent various dimensions, including social, cultural, economic, environmental, and health issues, which must be considered in order to fulfil the various needs of people with disabilities and their families across all aspects of their daily lives.