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The long-term impact of wheelchair delivery on the lives of people with disabilities in three countries of the world

SHORE, Susan
2017

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Background: Lack of access to mobility for people with disabilities, particularly in less- resourced settings, continues to be widespread. Despite challenges to wheelchair delivery, the benefits to health, employment, social integration and life satisfaction are apparent.


Objectives: Previous studies have explored the impact of receiving a wheelchair on the lives of the users through cross-sectional or short-term longitudinal analysis. The current study was undertaken to evaluate whether previously reported changes were sustained after 30 months of use, and whether results varied between two differing models of a wheelchair.


Method: One hundred and ninety-one subjects from Peru, Uganda and Vietnam received one of two models of wheelchair provided by the Free Wheelchair Mission. Using interviews to record survey results, data were collected at the time the wheelchair was received and following 12 and 30 months of use. Variables of overall health, employment, income and travel were explored through non-parametric analysis.


Results: There was a significant improvement in overall health and distance travelled after 12 months, but these changes were no longer significant by 30 months (Friedman test for overall change, p = 0.000). Employment status showed a small but significant increase at 12 and 30 months (Cochran’s Q, p = 0.000). Reported income increased slowly, becoming significantly different at 30 months (Friedman test, p = 0.033). There was no association between the model of wheelchair received and the incidence of pressure ulcers, pain or maintenance required. There was higher satisfaction with the GEN_2 wheelchair at 12 months (p = 0.004), but this difference was not apparent by 30 months. Overall wheelchair satisfaction and maintenance levels were favourable.


Conclusion: While overall health status, and distance travelled into the community fluctuated over time, receipt of one of two models of a wheelchair in less-resourced settings of the world appears to have a positive sustained impact on employment and income. Further investigations should be carried out to confirm these results and explore the factors responsible for fluctuating variables. This study affirms the importance of long-term follow-up of outcomes associated with wheelchair distribution in less-resourced environments.

Who is being left behind in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America? 3 reports from ODI

LYNCH, Alainna
BERLINER, Tom
MAROTTI, Chiara
BHAKTAL Tanvi
RODRIGUEZ TAKEUCHI Laura
et al
February 2016

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The commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ has been a key feature of all the discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here are three papers setting out the first step to implementing this agenda - the step of identifying marginalised communities. The focus is on two case study countries for each of the three regions, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the papers identify gaps in achieving a number of outcomes relating to key SDGs targets for marginalised groups. The paper on Asia highlights people with disabilities in Bangladesh.

Inclusive disaster and emergency management for persons with disabilities : a review of needs, challenges, effective policies, and practices

RAJA, Deepti Samant
NARASIMHAN, Nirmita
2013

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This report provides an introduction into the needs of persons with disabilities in disasters and emergencies and reviews the challenges, effective policies and practices of inclusive disaster and emergency management.  It compiles international mandates and guidelines, strategies and practices for inclusive disaster management and gives an overview of the disaster and emergency management process and how persons with disabilities can be affected at each stage.  This report highlights the importance of information and communication technologies throughout the process and provides related case studies

The efficacy of community based rehabilitation for children with or at significant risk of intellectual disabilities in low and middle income countries : a review

ROBERTSON, Janet
EMERSON, Eric
HATTON, Chris
August 2009

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"The aim of the present review is to summarise evidence regarding the efficacy of CBR in relation to one particular ‘high risk’ group of disabled children; children with intellectual disabilities (ID)...Only 10 studies were identified for inclusion in the review of research on the effectiveness of CBR for children and adolescents with ID and these are summarised in Appendix Two. An examination of reviews on the effectiveness of CBR for all people with disabilities points to two main reasons for this low level of evidence. Firstly, CBR has not been the subject of a significant amount of rigorous evaluation. Secondly, children and adolescents with ID have not been the recipients of significant amounts of CBR. We will discuss the reviews on the effectiveness of CBR generally and indicate what they say about ID before outlining the extremely small amount of information available on the effectiveness of CBR for children and adolescents with ID"
CeDR Research Report 2009:4

Programming experiences in early childhood development

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
November 2006

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This document presents examples and case studies from 21 countries. They demonstrate the benefit of cross-sectoral programming to support early childhood development, some building on early child care or education programme

Reflections on Young Lives 2000-2005 : bridging research, policy analysis and advocacy to tackle childhood poverty

JONES, Nicola
2005

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This paper explores efforts to bridge multi-disciplinary research, policy engagement and practice to improve poor children’s life quality in four diverse transforming societies. It draws on Young Lives (2000-2015), an international longitudinal policy-research project on childhood poverty, tracing 12,000 children (8,000 from birth and 4,000 from age eight) in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam

Evaluating capacity development : experiences from research and development organizations around the world

HORTON, Douglas
et al
2003

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This book is the result of the Evaluating Capacity Development (ECD) Project, begun by ISNAR in January 2000, which aimed to improve capacity development efforts in research and development organizations through the use of evaluation. It explains how the project used an action-learning approach, bringing together people from various countries and different types of organisations. Six evaluation studies were conducted over the course of three years: exploring capacity development in a rural development NGO in Bangladesh; towards strategic management in a Cuban agricultural research institute; understanding capacity development in a plant genetic resources centre in Ghana; assessing organisational change in an agricultural faculty in Nicaragua; strengthening participatory research capacities in a Philippines root crops research centre; and expanding capacities in a rural development institute in Vietnam. Chapter 1 provides background reading on the ECD project that gave rise to the book. Chapter 2 discusses basic concepts of organisational capacity, capacity development and evaluation. Chapter 3 addresses two fundamental issues: why managers should be concerned with organisational capacity development and why they should evaluate capacity development efforts. Chapter 4 discusses issues related to the 'how' of capacity development. Chapter 5 discusses partnerships for capacity development while 6 outlines approaches and methods for evaluating organisational capacity development. Chapter 7 discusses how to utilize evaluation processes and results to advance capacity development and performance in an organisation

Best practices on indigenous knowledge

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATION SCIENCE AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION (UNESCO). Management of Social Transformations Programme (MOST)
NETHERLANDS ORGANIZATION FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION. Centre for International Research and Advisory Networks (NUFFIC/CIRAN)
Eds
1999

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This publication provides a series of case studies to illustrate how indigenous knowledge (IK) can be used to create sustainable development. It aims to suggest, by example, guidelines for development planning, as the practices described may give policy makers and development practitioners a deeper insight into the ecological and cultural complexity of sustainable development. Includes basic definition of IK and related terms, and indexes by country and theme

Safe motherhood initiatives : critical issues

BERER, Marge
SUNDARI RAVINDRAN, T K
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MATTERS PROJECT
Eds
1999

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This book raises critical issues arising from the national and international policies, programmes and services whose aim is to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity. It analyses where safe motherhood initiatives stand today, what has been achieved and what remains to be done, and offers perspectives on making pregnancy, childbirth and abortion safer for women in future. The book reviews work in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Vietnam, India, Tanzania, Mexico, Nigeria, Bolivia, Ghana and South Africa

International disability rights monitor (IDRM) regional reports

CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL REHABILITATION

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These regional reports are the primary focus of the International Disability Rights Monitor (IDRM) project and have been compiled by local IDRM researchers. Each report focuses upon several key areas such as legal protections, education, employment, accessibility, and health and housing services for people with disabilities. The reports include a detailed report on each country and a report card that compares the progress made by countries across the region. Reports are available on the Americas, Asia and Europe, as well as two thematic reports, in downloadable pdf format. They are useful for people interested in research on disability and development

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