Prevalencia de incapacidades em dois diferentes grupos sociais em Salvador, Brasil / Disability prevalence in two social groups of Salvador, Brazil

ABSTRACT

To assess physical and/or mental disability prevalence in Salvador, Bahia, 485 favela (shantytown) dwellers and 753 non-favela dwellers age 7 and older were studied in October 1985. Some 77.3 percent of the favela dwellers were either illiterate or had incomplete primary schooling, while 77.2 percent of the non-favela dwellers had completed high school or college. The total prevalence of disability, adjusted by age, was 8 percent for favela dwellers and 2.5 percent for non-favela dwellers. The prevalence of physical disability was 6.2 percent among favela dwellers and 1.9 percent among non-favela dwellers; mental disability occurred among 1.8 percent of favela dwellers and 0.7 percent of non-favela dwellers. Prevalences of disability in the favela group were higher among men than women (ratio of 4.4); there was no difference between sexes in the group of non-favela dwellers (ratio of 1.1). Locomotor impairment was the most prevalent, followed by mental and sensory disabilities. The authors discused the need for more detailed studies on disability, including aspects related to availability of and access to médical care and rehabilitation