Health Care Practices and Its Effect on Health Status of Children with Disability Visiting Patan Community Based Rehabilitation Organization (CBRO)

Abstract

Health care practices and its effect on health status of children with disability visiting Patan Community Based Rehabilitation Organization (CBRO) were conducted between December 2009 to November 2010. During the study period, altogether 61 children with disabilities (CWDs) including physical disability (11.47%), mental disability (19.67%) and multiple disability (68.89%) were selected. The study was based on direct observation and structured questionnaire survey. A total of 61 CWDs, their parents and caretakers were respondents during the study. The study revealed that the root cause of disability among 61 CWDs was due to congenital (68.8%), disease (26.22%) and accidental (4.91%). Regarding severity of the problem, the disability problem in CWDs was mild in 36.06%, severe in 32.78%, moderate in 22.95% and profound in 8.19%.

Besides disability, out of 61 CWDs, 51 had major health problems such as epilepsy (34.4%), fever (16.4%), pneumonia (3.3%), diarrhoea (1.6%) and others (27.9%). The other health related problems were tooth decay, uncontrolled urination, chest pain, heart disease, constipation, bladder stone, and weight loss. Loss of appetite, difficulty in swallowing, drooling, ear problem, wounds and rough skin of legs, allergy with brightness and shivering of legs. Due to severe bed sore, one 16 year child with multiple disability died. Thus the case fatality rate of CWDs visiting Patan CBRO during the study period was 1.63%. The study revealed that the age group 7-12 years in both sexes have highest incidence of health problem i.e., 66.66% in male and 76.92% in female.

The study revealed that there was significant difference between food taking habit and its effect on nutrition of CWDs (χ2=2.93, P< 0.05, d.f.2). The activities of daily living (ADL) related to personal hygiene was maintained in maximum number of CWDs. However, some CWDs couldn’t maintained brushing teeth due to disability problem so, most of them had tooth decay problem.

The questionnaire survey revealed that CWDs and their parents lack awareness regarding hand washing, water drinking, management of waste products and regular visiting of rehabilitation centre.