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This article presents reflections of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) professionals who attended a workshop prior to the 17th International Leprosy Congress. The professionals discussed the need to make their rehabilitation programmes, often focussed on serving the needs of persons affected by leprosy, more inclusive for other marginalised groups, in particular persons disabled through non-leprosy causes. They also reflected on the need to promote the self-organisation of people affected by leprosy and their inclusion of them also in general Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) either individually or through their organisations
Leprosy Review, Vol 79, Issue 1

This article explores the global trends in disability rehabilitation and the implications for leprosy programmes. It provides a brief summary the Biwako Millennium Framework of the Asia and Pacific decade to gain a better understanding of current issues and the implications for leprosy rehabilitation programmes
Leprosy Review, Vol 79, Issue 1

This conference report assisted the development of guidelines on provision of manual wheelchairs in less-resourced settings for which training and education are key elements. It recommends the adoption of the wheelchair International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards as a minimum. This report is useful for government and non-government policy makers, practitioners, providers and users of wheelchair services

This paper seeks to contribute to current debate on evidence-based practice and appropriate models of disability rehabilitation for people with disabilities in developing countries. Based on the authors' experience in, and evaluation of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) projects and research, they provide suggestions for utilising different kinds of evidence at different levels of CBR. The paper proposes four considerations. First, at the micro level of individual rehabilitation techniques, it recommends the judicious co-opting of available evidence from conventional evidence sources. Second, at the level of service planning, it suggests the need for conducting major syntheses of CBR evaluation reports for evidence. Third, it proposes the incorporation of values with research in consideration of issues at the model level. Finally, the paper proposes that in the case of CBR and similar approaches, new conceptualisations and methodologies are required in current understandings of evidence-based research and practice, which highlight the voice of people with disabilities, their family members and communities as key sources of evidence-related data."This paper seeks to contribute to current debate on evidence-based practice and appropriate models of disability rehabilitation for people with disabilities in developing countries...The paper proposes four considerations. First, at the micro level of individual rehabilitation techniques, it recommends the judicious co-opting of available evidence from conventional evidence sources. Second, at the level of service planning, it suggests the need for conducting major syntheses of CBR evaluation reports for evidence. Third, it proposes the incorporation of values with research in consideration of issues at the model level. Finally, the paper proposes that in the case of CBR and similar approaches, new conceptualisations and methodologies are required in current understandings of evidence-based research and practice, which highlight the voice of people with disabilities, their family members and communities as key sources of evidence-related data"

Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 19, No 2

This study examines how information is shared among CBR programmes in Uganda and identifies challenges and strategies for improvement. Recommendations include the development of strategies for the oral means of information sharing; awareness raising of cost effective means of information sharing and using modes of communication that can reach people with special needs. This resource is useful for people interested in how information is shared among CBR programmes in Uganda

This technical guide provides a reorientation and familiarisation tool for managers of leprosy projects and programmes. The analysis includes an outline of the broad objectives of CBR, the roles and tasks of programme managers, and the responsibilities of community workers. This resource would be useful for anyone with an interest in disability and development

This article looks at the historical development of community-based rehabilitation (CBR). It is useful for people interested in the history of CBR Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 18, No 2

The purpose of this article was to qualitatively analyse the extent to which community based rehabilitation programmes have been evaluated over the past thirty years. A framework of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis was used in conducting this analysis. Using an extensive search of MEDLINE, 22 articles were located that described and evaluated one or more dimensions of CBR. Three studies each from Australia, India, Zimbabwe and two studies each from England, Philippines, Vietnam and one each from Finland, Guyana, Jamaica, Japan, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and United States were included in the analysis. A variety of methods used, most evaluations conducted in community settings, focus on mobility related evaluations by most programmes, and development of new instruments were the strengths of CBR evaluations. Some of the weaknesses were lack of consistency in outcome measures, lack of cost benefit and cost effectiveness studies, small sample size of many studies, and lack of focus on other than mobility related disabilities by most projects. The opportunities for CBR evaluations pertain to training assessments, use of mixed models, using indicators from a standard taxonomy, and focusing on medical rehabilitation. The threats to CBR evaluations are a need to prioritise from multifarious activities and having limited resources for evaluation.

Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, Vol 18, No 1

This study examines over 20 years of CBR implementation in Nepal. It includes an overview of CBR interventions, provides analysis of approaches and activities in terms of impact and sustainability and makes recommendations for future developments in CBR. This resource is useful for people interested in CBR in Nepal