The perceived needs-access gap for health services among persons with disabilities in a rural area within South Africa.

Health should be a universal phenomenon. However, little is known about the relationship between disability status and health issues - particularly in rural areas. This study looks at health issues of persons with disabilities in Madwaleni, a rural impoverished area in South Africa in 2011, and compares them to persons with no disabilities.

Factors related to environmental barriers experienced by persons with and without disabilities in diverse African settings.

This paper explores differences in experienced environmental barriers between individuals with and without disabilities and the impact of additional factors on experienced environmental barriers. Data was collected in 2011-2012 by means of a two-stage cluster sampling and comprised 400-500 households in different sites in South Africa, Sudan Malawi and Namibia. Data were collected through self-report survey questionnaires.

A study of human resource competencies required to implement community rehabilitation in less resourced settings.

Background: It is estimated that over one billion persons worldwide have some form of disability. However, there is lack of knowledge and prioritisation of how to serve the needs and provide opportunities for people with disabilities. The community-based rehabilitation (CBR) guidelines, with sufficient and sustained support, can assist in providing access to rehabilitation services, especially in less resourced settings with low resources for rehabilitation.

A description of assistive technology sources, services and outcomes of use in a number of African settings.

Unlabelled: Purpose statement: The article explores assistive technology sources, services and outcomes in South Africa, Namibia, Malawi and Sudan.

Methods: A survey was done in purposively selected sites of the study countries. Cluster sampling followed by random sampling served to identify 400-500 households (HHs) with members with disabilities per country.

Sick of waiting: Does waiting for elective treatment cause sickness absence?

Sickness absence represents a substantial cost in most of Western Europe, whether the insurance scheme is public or private. The objective of this study was to analyse whether waiting time for elective treatment in specialist health care is associated with the length of individual sickness absence in Norway. To estimate the association between waiting time and the duration of sick leave, we used data from the working population aged 18-67 years in 2010-2012.

Persons with Dementia and Their Caregivers Using GPS.

The aim of the study is to generate knowledge on the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to support autonomy and independence for persons with dementia. By studying a larger cohort of persons with dementia (n=208) and their caregivers, this study provides essential knowledge for planning and implementing GPS technology as a part of public health care services. Commercially available GPS technology was provided to the cohort of 208 persons with dementia from nineteen different Norwegian municipalities.

Perceived Barriers for Accessing Health Services among Individuals with Disability in Four African Countries.

There is an increasing awareness among researchers and others that marginalized and vulnerable groups face problems in accessing health care. Access problems in particular in low-income countries may jeopardize the targets set by the United Nations through the Millennium Development Goals. Thus, identifying barriers for individuals with disability in accessing health services is a research priority.

[Living conditions for people with COPD].

Background: More than 200,000 people in Norway have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but knowledge about their living conditions is insufficient.

Material And Methods: The Living Conditions Survey of 2002 (Statistics Norway) included specific questions about COPD. We have compared living conditions of people with self-reported chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema or COPD with that of other groups with or without chronic disease.