Accessibility to Health Services Among People With Disabilities in Southern Africa, 2009 - 2

This research project studies the availability and accessibility of health services to people with disabilities and the degree of inclusion of people with disabilities in health service delivery in South Africa and Malawi. The project aims to strengthen and expand research that can contribute to equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities and the sustainable improvements in the health and well-being of this group of people, in particular women and children with disabilities and children with disabled mothers. By focusing on people with disabilities in these countries the project is targeting an often neglected and vulnerable sub-population.

The project comprises two complementary studies:
1. Difficulties faced by disabled people in poor communities when Accessing Health Services - an anthropological study (The DAHS study). The study will focus on the users of health services from the point of view of people with disabilities and their families. The study employs an anthropological approach in gathering data concerning peoples knowledge, experiences and practises with respect to health and access to health services.
2. Study of knowledge, attitudes and practices among health service users and providers (KAP study). In order to achieve this elucidation, two complimentary but different approaches were utilised: Users knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to health and health services were assessed through a comparative survey to include both people with and without disabilities. The knowledge, attitudes and practices of health service providers were approached through the use of qualitative individual and/or group interviews.

本研究项目旨在探究南非与马拉维两国残疾人卫生服务的可得性与可及性，以及残疾人在卫生服务提供中的包容程度。项目旨在强化并拓展相关研究，以推动残疾人机会均等化，并促进该群体（尤其是残疾妇女、残疾儿童及母亲为残疾人的儿童）健康与福祉的可持续改善。通过聚焦上述两国的残疾人，本项目旨在关注这一常被忽视的脆弱亚群体。

项目包含两项互补性研究：
1. 贫困社区残疾人获取卫生服务时面临的困难——一项人类学研究（DAHS研究）。该研究将从残疾人及其家庭的视角，聚焦卫生服务使用者。该研究采用人类学方法，收集残疾人关于健康及卫生服务获取的知识、经验与实践相关数据。
2. 卫生服务使用者与提供者的知识、态度及实践研究（KAP研究）。为实现这一阐释目标，项目采用了两种互补但不同的方法：通过对比调查评估使用者（包括残疾与非残疾人群）关于健康及卫生服务的知识、态度与实践；通过定性个人访谈及/或小组访谈，探究卫生服务提供者的知识、态度与实践。