Socio-demographical examinations on disability prevalence and rehabilitation status in southwest of Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
Disability is one of the most important social issues in the community. In contrast to the developed countries, Turkey has, unfortunately, no goods records on the current issues of disability such as the number of disabled and handicapped, and their socio-demographic properties due to the lack of sufficient studies in the specified area. The present study was, therefore, aimed to determine the status of disabled in the entire region of Isparta and to establish relationships between the distinctive disability properties in order for a better understanding of its important aspects.


METHODS
Data were collected in 2002 from 3500 people residing throughout the region by the gradual sampling method according to the evaluation criteria of International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (ICIDH) by WHO.


RESULTS
The disability prevalence in the studied group was found to be 5.3%, and 4.8% of the disabled were previously rehabilitated. Forty one percent of the disabled were found to have two types of disability. In the study, it was shown that the disability prevalence significantly increased by the age. The disabled were shown to be under-educated and not benefit from the rehabilitation services in one hand, and there were insufficient activities of rehabilitation established in the region in other hand.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the medical and social rehabilitation services must be initiated and freely provided to these local people, particularly to those young disables whose life will greatly change to a better living standard.
Kisioglu
Ahmet N
AN
Public Health Department, Suleyman Demirel University, School of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey. anesimi@med.sdu.edu.tr
Uskun
Ersin
E
Ozturk
Mustafa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population