title: Rapid assessment of disability in the Philippines: understanding prevalence, well-being, and access to the community for people with disabilities to inform the W-DARE project.
abstract: International recognition that people with disabilities were excluded from the Millennium Development Goals has led to better inclusion of people with disabilities in the recently agreed Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) 2015-2030. Given the current global agenda for disability inclusion, it is crucial to increase the understanding of the situation of people with disabilities in the Philippines. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of disability and compare the well-being and access to the community between people with and without disabilities.
  
  
  
  A population-based survey was undertaken in District 2 of Quezon City and in Ligao City. 60 clusters of 50 people aged 18 years and older were selected with probability proportion to size sampling from both locations. The Rapid Assessment of Disability (RAD) survey was used to identify people with disabilities based on their responses to activity limitations. The levels of well-being and access to the community for people with disabilities were compared with controls matched by age, gender, and cluster. Information on barriers to accessing the community was also collected.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of disability was 6.8 (95 % CI: 5.9, 7.9) and 13.6 % (95 % CI: 11.4, 16.2) in Quezon City and Ligao City respectively. Psychological distress was the most commonly reported condition in both locations, although it was often reported with a co-morbid condition related to sensory, physical, cognitive, and communication difficulties. The prevalence of disability was associated with age and no schooling, but not associated with poverty. People with disabilities had significantly lower well-being scores and reduced access to health services, work, rehabilitation, education, government social welfare, and disaster management than people without disability. Having a disability and negative family attitudes were reported as barriers for people with disabilities participating in work, community meetings, religious activities, and social activities.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of disability among adults in District 2 of Quezon City and in Ligao City is higher than the estimated national prevalence of disability derived from the 2010 Philippines census. Disability is also associated with lower well-being and reduced participation across a number of domains of community life.
authors.affiliation: Nossal Institute for Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 4, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry Street, Carlton, VIC 3010 Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Manjula
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1877-7956
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marella
authors.affiliation: Nossal Institute for Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Level 4, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry Street, Carlton, VIC 3010 Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.affiliation: Social Development Research Centre, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Graeme Ferdinand
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Armecin
authors.affiliation: Social Development Research Centre, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zayas
authors.affiliation: Social Development Research Centre, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: Ma Jesusa
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaughan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004493:Education; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012449:Safety; D012934:Social Isolation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Disability; Participation; Philippines; Prevalence; Risk factors; Survey