Abstract
Development of Model on Community Based Rehabilitationand Quality of Life Improvement for Persons Affected with Leprosy The objective of this study is to develop appropriate model for community based rehabilitation (CBR) and to improve the quality of life of persons affected with leprosy (PALs) through the study of their life experiences, problem solving and social processes as well as mechanism that affects their lives. The research was divided into 2 phases which took altogether two years to complete. The first phase focused on qualitative research using Anthropological tools to collect related information in two villages in Tambol Taladsai, Chumpuang District of Nakornratchasima Province. The researchers were assigned to live in two villages for three months to learn life experiences of target population and their communities. Overall findings of the first phase of the study revealed somewhat mild problems of PALs. In comparision with other disables, PALs at different levels of disability appearance, economic and social status, community cultures, including level of emotional and psychological development encountered varying levels of problems and solutions. Social prejudice varied according to their relationships with relatives and friends as well as social and economic status. Deformities of leprosy were factors that affected and changed their life style. Their common wishes were to seek better understanding from their communities that they were completely cured and that they should have been accepted and treated like other disables. Early findings also found that within the communities there were other disables that should have been helped and socially rehabilitated. The second phase focused on the development of the CBR model. In the beginning the researchers arranged several focus group discussions for people who were interested in and wanted to help solve these problems. The researchers provided appropriate knowledge on leprosy for interested parties as well as arranged appropriate learning process for the communities. Within a period of six months, key resource persons who had faced and understood these problems planned to find joint solutions under the support of related organizations. Finally, each village formed a development group for disables by conducting activities such as surveying disables, bringing them to hospital for rehabilitation, registering disables, raising funds, and organizing stores that disables worked as shop-keepers. Both villages created disability development centers which still remain function. In conclusion, model of community based rehabilitation for PALs started to be concrete through the learning process of the whole communities. The communities started to have some concerns and gave more opportunities to PALs and other disables. To reach the solution, attitudes and skills of the disables needed to be changed towards self-reliance. Learning process and participation of the whole community i.e. PALs, disables, families and community leaders are the key factors towards the success of community based rehabilitation. To sustain the disables’ capabilities and groups development, empowerment and support from the government and non-governmental organizations together with community paticipation have to be forth coming on a continuous basis.
