title: Unmet Health Care Service Needs of Children With Disabilities in Penang, Malaysia.
abstract: Information on unmet health care needs reveal problems that are related to unavailability and inaccessibility of services. The study objectives were to determine the prevalence, and the reasons for unmet service needs among children with disabilities in the state of Penang, Malaysia. Caregivers of children with disabilities aged 0 to 12 years registered with the Penang Social Welfare Department in 2012 answered a self-administered mailed questionnaire. A total of 305 questionnaires were available for analysis (response rate 37.9%). Services that were very much needed and yet highly unmet were dental services (49.6% needed, 59.9% unmet), dietary advice (30.9% needed, 63.3% unmet), speech therapy (56.9% needed, 56.8% unmet), psychology services (25.5% needed, 63.3% unmet), and communication aids (33.0% needed, 79.2% unmet). Access problems were mainly due to logistic issues and caregivers not knowing where to obtain services. Findings from this study can be used to inform strategies for service delivery and advocacy for children with disabilities in Penang, Malaysia.
authors.affiliation: University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia tanseokhong@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Seok Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: access problems; children with disabilities; health care services; needs assessment; unmet needs