Do community-based rehabilitation programmes promote the participation of persons with disabilities? A case control study from Mandya District, in India

• Published in: Disability and rehabilitation Vol. 36; no. 18; pp. 1508 - 1517
• Main Authors: Biggeri, Mario, Deepak, Sunil, Mauro, Vincenzo, Trani, Jean-Francois, Kumar, Jayanth, Ramasamy, Parthipan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01-08-2014; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Case-Control Studies; Community Health Services; Community-based rehabilitation; Disabled Persons - rehabilitation; Humans; impact evaluation; India; participation; Patient Participation; Program Evaluation; Propensity Score; Social Participation; Surveys and Questionnaires; India; participation; Community-based rehabilitation; impact evaluation
• ISSN: 0963-8288; 1464-5165
• DOI: 10.3109/09638288.2013.823244

Abstract
Purpose: In this paper, we measure the effectiveness of Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programmes in promoting the well-being of people with disabilities and removing the barriers to their participation in family and community decision-making processes. Method: To evaluate the impact of the CBR programme, we use data from a large-scale control study in Karnataka, India. Propensity score matching is used to evaluate the impacts on disabled persons after 2, 4 and 7 years of entering the CBR. The theoretical framework for the analysis is based on the CBR guidelines, which are combined with the International Classification of Functionings (ICF), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and Amartya Sen's capability approach. Results: CBR has a positive impact on the well-being of persons with disabilities participating in the programme and particularly on their participation within the family and the society at large. Conclusions: CBR programmes have a multidimensional and positive impact on individual and collective capabilities; on individual, agency and social empowerment.Implications for RehabilitationCommunity-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) can make a lasting difference in the life of persons with disabilities.CBR improves participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the family and in the community.