H. Vanamstel et al., WOULD PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY IN THE HIGHLANDS BENEFIT FROM A COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAM, Papua New Guinea medical journal, 36(4), 1993, pp. 316-319
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.