Profile of disability in selected districts in Rwanda

Abstract

AJOL Abstract: Disability prevalence data are important to improve efforts to remove or minimize disabling barriers andprovide services to allow people with disabilities to take part in community life. There is however a lack ofreliable data on disability in the districts of Rwanda.This study aims to describe the profile of disability in terms of prevalence, age, gender distribution as wellas activity limitation in Rwanda.A door-to-door survey was conducted in all the households in villages from three districts selected througha multi-stage sampling procedure. Identified persons were assessed for activity limitations using instrumentsdeveloped from domains in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Datawere analysed descriptively and presented by district, age, gender, and activity limitation.Disability prevalence rates of 10.1% (Ruhango), 9.1% (Kayonza), and 6.0% (Nyagatare) were obtained.An overall average prevalence of disability in the three districts was 8.3%. The prevalence of disability washigher in adults than in children in all the three districts with Ruhango having 13.6% vs 7.0%; Kayonza,12.4%vs 6.4%; and Nyagatare, 8.9% vs 2.8%. The main activity limitations experienced by children with disabilitywere sitting, seeing, and crawling, while adults with disabilities had difficulties mainly in seeing and walking.Persons identified with disability in this study from three districts in Rwanda have various activitylimitations. The findings provide a useful resource for planning rehabilitation services and to direct futureenquiry into the epidemiology of disability in other districts of Rwanda