Abstract
Disability is not a 'health problem'; however some people with disabilities do have increased health needs, and all people with disabilities have the same right to access health services as others. The number of people living with disabilities is increasing, due partly to increasing numbers of people living with the consequences of chronic communicable and non-communicable diseases. Based on recommendations of the World Report on Disability, which provides the parameters for research, this paper sets out a research agenda calling for a considerable research programme on social, civil, and economic impacts of living with disability, arising from whatever cause, including communicable and non-communicable diseases; significant global health policy revisions; identification of constraints and facilitators in access to healthcare for people with disabilities; development of a robust evidence base for implementing the new guidelines on community-based rehabilitation; innovations in addressing human resource challenges faced by disability and rehabilitation service-providers; development of enabling technologies that focus on individuals' aspirations and social gain; preparedness for responding to the needs of people with disabilities in disaster situations; and the application of disability metrics to strengthen health systems.
Highlights
There is an urgent need to improve the collection, analysis, synthesis and dissemination of data on disability in a way that is both accurate and comparable across different settings, countries and populations [1].In the early 2000s, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reconceptualised disability—moving away from the individualised deficit 'medical model' and embracing the idea of disability as an interaction of personal and societal factors [2], where its most salient features are activity limitations and participation restrictions, rather than unalterable diagnostic categories or bodily impairments (Figure 1)
While disability is not a 'health problem', some people with disabilities do have increased health needs associated with their disability, and all people with disabilities have the same right to access health services as everyone else [3]
In 2011, WHO and the World Bank published the first ever World Report on Disability, estimating that 15% of the world's population—over 1 billion people— experience some type of disability; with 80% of these people living in low-income countries [11]
Summary
There is an urgent need to improve the collection, analysis, synthesis and dissemination of data on disability in a way that is both accurate and comparable across different settings, countries and populations [1]. The response from the health sector has been impressive: WHO, International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC) collaborated on Guidelines for Community Based Rehabilitation [9], seeking to bring principles of common practice to this widely used philosophy; and, importantly, recognising the cross-sectoral inter-dependency of such programmes (Figure 2). In so doing, these Guidelines are one of the clearest expositions of the Bamako Call to Action on Research for Health for a much broader perspective on research for health [10]. Our contribution is offered as complimentary and hopefully encouraging of further interest, debate and research in this critical area, which requires different perspectives and ideas to maintain its vibrant nature
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
