Characters of disability and needs in people with disability in 5 sub-distriscts in Khon Kaen

Abstract

Tntroduction : The number of people with disabilities increases every year while resource allocation is limited. In Khon Kaen province, there has never been a study of disability characteristics and the needs of people with disability.

Objective : This research was done to address this lack.

Methods : This study was the retrospective study, using the questionnaire implementing The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Results : We collected information from 925 people with disabilities in 5 sub-district in Khon Kaen. The results showed that the average age of people with disabilities was 56.5 + 20.3 years (ranged 2-102 years). Most of them (53.9%) were male. Physical disability and mobility is the most common type (46%)
of disability characteristics followed by hearing (18.9%) and vision (13.5%), respectively. Activities that were found to be most limiting were walking (8.8%) followed by memory (5.6%). Most people with disabilities needed to participate in social activities (65%), followed by work (19.1%), environment modification (16%) and assistive devices such as gait aids and wheelchairs (15.7%), respectively.

Conclusion : Most people with disabilities in Khon Kaen were physically disabled and mobility type. They ranked highest need with walking and social participation. Therefore, the holistic public health service together with the provision of facilities for people with disabilities to socialize should be prioritized
as the first step to help them.

Keywords : disability, disability profile, Khon Kaen, ICF