ABSTRACT
A community based rehabilitation [CBR] project was initiated in Qatar on September 2001 and the CBR service was introduced at the beginning of 2003. Until December 2004,189 patients with primary physical disabilities were included 49 percent Qatari and 51 percent non-Qatari nationals; 81 percent male, 19 percent female; 6 percent children; 94 percent adults, aged 37 +/- 18 years. The main interventions were training for involvement in life situations, job site training and providing family counseling and support. Rehabilitation conferences were held for 132 individuals of whom 25 percent were with traumatic brain injuries [TBI], 23 percent with spinal cord injuries [SCI], 20 percent with stroke, 9 percent with cerebral palsy [CP], 4 percent with neuromuscular dystrophy [NMD], and 19 percent with other physical disabilities [amputee, trauma etc.]. The project demonstrated that CBR could successfully evolve using available resources and that patients presenting with favorable predictors for reintegration could benefit from CBR programs. It was found that health and community participants involved in CBR activities were able to collaborate on common goals but there is room for improvement in the services available for people with disabilities [PwD]. Implementation of CBR is sustainable only if people from the community take a leading and active role and work together with the experts and with the disabled people themselves