Access to Health Services as a Determinant of Social Inclusion Among Persons with Disabilities in Pakistan

Background The study aims to analyze the social inclusion of persons with disabilities in the context of their access to adequate health services. Methods A multistage stratified-random sampling was adopted to collect data from a sample of 488 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). Chi-square and Kendall’s Tau-b tests were used to determine the level and direction of association among variables. Access to adequate health-services enhanced the social inclusion of literate PWDs at a higher rate than illiterate. Results PWDs who admitted that accommodation was available for them at health institution 62.4 percent were socially included, compared to 25.1 percent of those for whom the facility was not available. Those PWDs who consider that they were able to afford the cost of visit and medicines 58.1 percent were socially included, compared to 28.4 percent of those who were unable to afford it. The logistic regression model based on its calculated coefficients explained that; social inclusion of PWDs is more likely to occur when PWDs have high family monthly income (EXP B = 2.602), high literacy rate (EXP B = 2.280), have better access to health (EXP B =  2.254 ) . In contrary, change in family from joint to nuclear family reduced the likelihood of social inclusion of PWDs (EXP B = -1.002). Conclusion Implementation of building codes in the construction of public buildings and offices to facilitate smooth mobility of PWDs in, hospitals and public places, etc. along with ease in use of all facilities available in the health center.