Abstract
A descriptive study was undertaken to establish, amongst others, the demographic details and the disability profile of a group of persons with disabilities who collected their disability grant at the Kleinmond Post Office in June 1999. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire during face-to-face interviews with the grantees and/or their proxies. A questionnaire developed for this purpose included a disability catalogue based on the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH). The repeatability of the questionnaire was 96%.The mean age of the mainly male grantees was 42 years (range: 18-64).Nearly a third of the subjects had been disabled since birth, reinforcing the importance of disability prevention programmes as outlined in several policy documents. Most persons with disabilities had problems with activities in the situational disability category (82% or 24/29), while only a few reported personal care disabilities (34% or 10/29).The majority of the grantees (86% or 25/29) reported disabilities in more than one category. This may be an indication that only persons with multiple disabilities qualify for permanent disability grants in South Africa.
Highlights
Why is it of interest to physiotherapists to know which disabilities are prevalent in persons who receive a permanent disability grant? Firstly, clients often consult physiotherapists regarding their eligibility for disability grants
O f all responses of those four subjects, 96% were the same at both interviews, attesting to a strong likelihood that data were collected in a reliable manner
The present study succeeded in esta blishing both demographic data and disability profiles of the study popula tion
Summary
Why is it of interest to physiotherapists to know which disabilities are prevalent in persons who receive a permanent disability grant? Firstly, clients often consult physiotherapists regarding their eligibility for disability grants. In view of primary health care delivery in South Africa, it is the role of., the physiotherapist to deliver communitybased rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities. Being able to describe aspects of a select group of persons already receiving permanent disability grants can assist the physiotherapist when counselling his/her clients and in planning appropriate physiotherapy and other services within a primary health care team. The WHO is currently in the process of finalising a revised version of the ICIDH, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, ICIDH-2 (WHO, 1999, www.who.intWicidh). This reviewed document is likely to radically change disability research in the future and the altered terminology should make classification less prejudicial
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