Prevalence of people with disabilities, rehabilitation and adapted sport in riverside communities in the lower madeira region of the state of Rondônia, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The right to health, rehabilitation and sport is constitutional for all citizens, including people with disabilities, who are also important tools for functional and socio-emotional development, but for the connection between the person with disability and the environment to be efficient and necessary. access to these services. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of people with disabilities (PCD) in riverside communities in the state of Rondônia - Brazil, access to the practice of adapted sports for the purpose of rehabilitation, recreation and high performance and the perception of adapted sports in the riverside communities studied. Methods: This is an epidemiological study with primary data, observational, descriptive, field procedures, with a quantitative approach, cross-sectional temporality, where a form was used as an instrument on questions of demographic profile and cataloging of health and sports services, residents in the districts riverside populations of Baixo Madeira (Rondônia). Results: 103 PCDs were cataloged, resulting in a prevalence of 3.1/100 inhabitants, with a mean age of 39 years (SD 16.4), 52% female, 49% black, 41%
without a medical certificate of disability and 54% classified as physically disabled. The districts have few sports facilities and Basic Health Units (UBS), there is no offer of medium/high complexity health and rehabilitation. PWD declared never having performed rehabilitation because it was not offered on site and 76% did not practice physical exercise. Among those who practiced, 17% practiced soccer in the district where they live, in public spaces and without professional guidance. As for the perception of the adapted sport, 76% (n=79) declared that it was not known, only 23% (n=24) declared that they considered themselves capable of practicing it and 23% (n=24) declared that they were interested in practicing it. . For most participants (57.3%; n=59) PWD would not benefit from practicing sports. Finally, regarding the importance of adapted sport for PCD, 58.3% (n=60) declared it to be “extremely
important” and only 23.3% (n=24) “not at all important”. Conclusion: The prevalence of PCDs residing in riverside communities is lower than in Brazil. These people do not have access to adapted sport and rehabilitation services, given the difficult geographic
access and the lack of provision of these services in the localities. They do not consider the possibilities of positive influence of sport because they feel incapable of practicing and lack of knowledge about the possibilities, as well as the lack of professionals who present this physical, social and psychological health strategy.