IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0278292.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Disability and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in the Maldives

Author

Listed:
  • Lena Morgon Banks
  • Timothy O’Fallon
  • Shaffa Hameed
  • Sofoora Kawsar Usman
  • Sarah Polack
  • Hannah Kuper

Abstract

Objective: To assess access to general and disability-related health care among people with disabilities in the Maldives. Methods: This study uses data from a case-control study (n = 711) nested within a population-based, nationally representative survey to compare health status and access to general healthcare amongst people with and without disabilities. Cases and controls were matched by gender, location and age. Unmet need for disability-related healthcare is also assessed. Multivariate regression was used for comparisons between people with and without disabilities. Results: People with disabilities had poorer levels of health compared to people without disabilities, including poorer self-rated health, increased likelihood of having a chronic condition and of having had a serious health event in the previous 12 months. Although most people with and without disabilities sought care when needed, people with disabilities were much more likely to report difficulties when routinely accessing healthcare services compared to people without disabilities. Additionally, 24% of people with disabilities reported an unmet need for disability-related healthcare, which was highest amongst people with hearing, communication and cognitive difficulties, as well as amongst older adults and people living in the lowest income per capita quartile. Median healthcare spending in the past month was modest for people with and without disabilities. However, people with disabilities appear to have high episodic healthcare costs, such as for disability-related healthcare and when experiencing a serious health event. Conclusions: This study found evidence that people with disabilities experience unmet needs for both disability-related and general healthcare. There is therefore evidence that people with disabilities in the Maldives are falling behind in core components relevant to UHC: availability of all services needed, and quality and affordability of healthcare.

Suggested Citation

  • Lena Morgon Banks & Timothy O’Fallon & Shaffa Hameed & Sofoora Kawsar Usman & Sarah Polack & Hannah Kuper, 2022. "Disability and the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in the Maldives," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0278292
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278292
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0278292
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0278292&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0278292?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tess Bright & Hannah Kuper, 2018. "A Systematic Review of Access to General Healthcare Services for People with Disabilities in Low and Middle Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-29, August.
    2. Lena Morgon Banks & Hannah Kuper & Sarah Polack, 2017. "Poverty and disability in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(12), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Tess Bright & Sarah Wallace & Hannah Kuper, 2018. "A Systematic Review of Access to Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-34, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Maria Zuurmond & Islay Mactaggart & Nanda Kannuri & Gudlavalleti Murthy & Joseph Enyegue Oye & Sarah Polack, 2019. "Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Health Services: A Qualitative Study Amongst People with Disabilities in Cameroon and India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Qhayiya Magaqa & Proochista Ariana & Sarah Polack, 2021. "Examining the Availability and Accessibility of Rehabilitation Services in a Rural District of South Africa: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Marja Eliisa Holm & Päivi Sainio & Jaana Suvisaari & Katri Sääksjärvi & Tuija Jääskeläinen & Suvi Parikka & Seppo Koskinen, 2022. "Differences in Unfavorable Lifestyle Changes during the COVID-19 Pandemic between People with and without Disabilities in Finland: Psychological Distress as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Mark Spreckley & David Macleod & Brenda González Trampe & Andrew Smith & Hannah Kuper, 2020. "Impact of Hearing Aids on Poverty, Quality of Life and Mental Health in Guatemala: Results of a before and after Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-10, May.
    5. Sureshkumar Kamalakannan & Sutanuka Bhattacharjya & Yelena Bogdanova & Christina Papadimitriou & Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla & Jacob Bentley & Tiago S. Jesus & Refugee Empowerment Task Force, Interna, 2021. "Health Risks and Consequences of a COVID-19 Infection for People with Disabilities: Scoping Review and Descriptive Thematic Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-17, April.
    6. Alexandro Pinto & Luciana Sepúlveda Köptcke & Renata David & Hannah Kuper, 2021. "A National Accessibility Audit of Primary Health Care Facilities in Brazil—Are People with Disabilities Being Denied Their Right to Health?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-11, March.
    7. Jane Wilbur & Tess Bright & Thérèse Mahon & Shaffa Hameed & Belen Torondel & Wakisa Mulwafu & Hannah Kuper & Sarah Polack, 2018. "Developing Behaviour Change Interventions for Improving Access to Health and Hygiene for People with Disabilities: Two Case Studies from Nepal and Malawi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-21, December.
    8. Ruth Sanders & Ben Gascoyne & Paul Appleby & Syeda Asma Rashida & Emma Jolley, 2021. "Eye Health Service Uptake among People with Visual Impairment and Other Functional Difficulties in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study with Short-Term Follow Up," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-12, August.
    9. Josephine E. Prynn & Sarah Polack & Islay Mactaggart & Lena Morgon Banks & Shaffa Hameed & Carlos Dionicio & Shailes Neupane & GVS Murthy & Joseph Oye & Jonathan Naber & Hannah Kuper, 2021. "Disability among Older People: Analysis of Data from Disability Surveys in Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-13, June.
    10. Pierre DeBeaudrap & Charles Mouté & Estelle Pasquier & Muriel Mac-Seing & Pulchérie U. Mukangwije & Gervais Beninguisse, 2019. "Disability and Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Cameroon: A Mediation Analysis of the Role of Socioeconomic Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    11. Ashrita Saran & Xanthe Hunt & Howard White & Hannah Kuper, 2023. "Effectiveness of interventions for improving social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1), March.
    12. Trang Nguyen & Sara Holton & Thach Tran & Jane Fisher, 2019. "Informal mental health interventions for people with severe mental illness in low and lower middle-income countries: A systematic review of effectiveness," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 65(3), pages 194-206, May.
    13. Goli Hashemi & Ana Leticia Santos & Mary Wickenden & Hannah Kuper & Chi-Kwan Shea & Shaffa Hameed, 2023. "Healthcare Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Challenges in the Provision of Quality Primary Healthcare for People with Disabilities in Three Regions of Guatemala: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-13, October.
    14. Emily Lewis & Sophie Mitra & Jaclyn Yap, 2022. "Do Disability Inequalities Grow with Development? Evidence from 40 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Kengo Igei & Kana Takio & Keitaro Aoyagi & Yoshito Takasaki, 2021. "Vocational training for demobilized ex-combatants with disabilities in Rwanda," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 360-384, October.
    16. Suja K. Kunnath & Vinitha Mary George & K. G. Satheesh Kumar & Anithamol Babu, 2023. "Disability Empowerment in Kerala: A Status Analysis and Vision for the Future," Journal of Developing Societies, , vol. 39(1), pages 104-127, March.
    17. Josephine E. Prynn & Hannah Kuper, 2019. "Perspectives on Disability and Non-Communicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, with a Focus on Stroke and Dementia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-11, September.
    18. Takasaki, Yoshito, 2020. "Impacts of disability on poverty: Quasi-experimental evidence from landmine amputees in Cambodia," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 85-107.
    19. Tess Bright & Sarah Wallace & Hannah Kuper, 2018. "A Systematic Review of Access to Rehabilitation for People with Disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-34, October.
    20. Julie Vinck, 2020. "Income poverty among children with a disability in Belgium: the interplay between parental employment, social background and targeted cash support," Working Papers 2009, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0278292. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.