Disability in the rural areas of Bareilly, India

Abstract

Background: Disability is one of the major public health problems in the developing countries. Eighty percent of the disabled reside in rural areas. Disability prevalence studies carried out in rural India are very few. Thus, studying the prevalence of disability in a rural community will be a useful contribution in proper health planning for the disabled. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and distribution of disability in terms of age, gender, education, religion, socioeconomic status, and types in a rural community of Bareilly. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the villages of Bithri Chainpur and Nawabganj Blocks of Bareilly District. A house to house survey was conducted in 25 villages. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of disability was found to be 37.0% (333 out of 900). One hundred and fifty-nine individuals had multiple disabilities. The most common type of disability was visual (27.33%), followed by locomotor disability (10.0%), hearing (9.66%), speech (4.0%), and mental disability (3.66%). The prevalence was found to be higher among males and those aged above 60 years. Higher prevalence was also found among the illiterates and those belonging to low socioeconomic strata. Conclusion: The prevalence of disability was high in the study population. Better health policies, programs, and preventive measures to reduce the burden of disability in a rural community should be framed.