WOULD PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY IN THE HIGHLANDS BENEFIT FROM A COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Community-based rehabilitation for those people with a physical disabi lity is a policy promoted by the World Health Organization. In order t o assess whether such a program might be useful to the disabled people of the highlands of Papua New Guinea a survey was conducted which fir st identified those people with a severe physical disability and then investigated the degree that they were handicapped in terms of their s ocial and physical environment. The survey was performed in the Tari a rea of the Southern Highlands Province in conjunction with the Papua N ew Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR). By using the PNGIMR demographic surveillance system it was possible to calculate a prevale nce level of physical disability (including walking disability, deafne ss and blindness) of 46 per 10 000 (0.46%). A significant physical dis ability was identified in 114 people, of whom 54 were given personal i nterviews to establish their quality of life. The survey found the soc ial and economic situation of disabled people to be generally good alt hough there is a lack of basic material aids for handicapped people. T he disabled people and their families do not need extra knowledge abou t how to care for their disabilities and a format community-based reha bilitation program would be inappropriate, but they would find mobilit y aids such as wheelchairs and artificial limbs of enormous help. The regular health care services are widely used although both people with a disability and health service staff are not always aware of the typ es of treatment which can usefully be provided. At little extra cost, the present health service could make a substantial improvement to the quality of life for people with a physical disability.