Evidence of unmet need in the care of severely physically disabled adults

Abstract

Objective: To identify unmet needs in the care of severely disabled people aged 16-64.

Design: Detailed personal interview and physical assessment of physically disabled adults; personal or telephone interview with carers.

Setting: Somerset Health District.

Subjects: 181 severely disabled adults and their carers.

Main outcome measures: Independence in activities of daily living; identity of requirements for assessing communication disorders; appropriate provision of services and allowances.

Results: 53 (29.3%) of the 181 disabled subjects had unmet needs for aids to allow independence in activities of daily living-namely, 43% of subjects (41/95) with progressive disorders and 14% of subjects (12/86) with non-progressive disorders. The prevalence of unmet need was higher among subjects whose sole regular professional contact was with health services personnel (48 (40.3%) of 119 subjects). Only 18 (31.6%) of the 57 subjects with communication disorders had ever been assessed by a speech therapist.

Conclusions: This study shows that the needs of severely physically disabled adults in the community--especially those with progressive disorders--are being monitored inadequately by health professionals.