Effectiveness of Home Based Training Service of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Program Offered Fammilies of Physically Disabled People

The study was aimed to evaluate effectiveness of ‘home based training’service of CBR program which have been offered to physically disabled people and their families in Babolsar Rural areas during years 2002-2004. 48 physically disabled people and their families were recruited from rural areas under coverage of CBR program as the case group.Matching for type and severity of disability, age, sex and education of care givers, 48 other disabled people & their families were recruited from rural areas where CBR program was not implemented as the control group. Knowledge & attitude of families about immobility consequences, disability & rehabilitation and their skills in preventing bedsore and joint stiffness, helping disabled people to achieve independence in mobilization and activities of daily living(ADL) were accessed by observation and asking questions, gathered in data sheets, scored computed & analysed. There were no significant difference in knowledge of families about consequences of immobility, their attitude towards disability & rehabilitation or their skills in helping the disabled to reach independence in selfcare and mobilization between the two groups. However, families in case group were significantly more skillful in preventing joint stiffness & bedsore and positioning the disabled people(P=0.04). The program didn’t result in significant change in family attitude, knowledge or skills in help disabled people to achieve independence in ADL or ambulation in Babolsar, but family members’ skills in areas of performing passive rehabilitation techniques such as bedsore & joint stiffness prevention and positioning of the disabled, improved significantly.