แนวทางการพัฒนาคุณภาพชีวิตของคนพิการที่ใช้รถเข็นในเขตกรุงเทพมหานครและปริมณฑล

Abstract

 The objectives of the research were to study the level of quality of life of wheelchair disable persons in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces, to study the needs for developing the quality of life of wheelchair disable persons in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces, to suggest guidelines for developing quality of life of wheelchair disable persons in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces.  The sampling numbers of this research were males and females with Thai citizen aged between 18-50 years old live in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces at 400 in total. 

     The research divided into :

     1.    Quantitative Research in which to study the quality level of life and the needs for improving the better quality of life of wheelchair disable persons in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces

     2.    Qualitative Research in which to observe and photograph taking of convenient facilities or wheelchair disable persons in Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces to suggest guidelines for developing quality of life of wheelchair disable persons.

     The research materials used in collecting data included questionnaires, observation and photograph taking of any convenient facilities for wheelchair disable persons.

The research findings were as follow :

     1.    The following aspects of the quality of life of wheelchair disable persons in the areas of Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces; (n=400) physical = 2.98, mental  = 2.71 and all social support aspects which included emotional = 2.95, informational = 2.72, social belongingness  = 2.79, recognition = 2.71, material and services supports = 2.59 were overall rated at moderated level, whereas the quality of life in economic aspect was rated at poor level at  = 2.49.

     2.    The wheelchair disable person’s samples had indicated varieties of needs for improving better quality of life.  The top five indicted needs were 1) the need for the disable persons living allowance increment at 22.75%, 2) the need for the public sectors support to promote their occupation, to have supplementary occupations, and to have more job opportunities at 14.75%, 3) the need to have public slopping parts for wheelchair at 10.75%, 4) the need to have more and clean public toilet for wheelchair disable persons at 8.5% and 5) the need of care taker at 7.5%

     3.    Based upon this research finding, the guidelines for developing a better quality of life of the wheelchair disable persons in the areas of Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces were proposed as follow: the organizations in both public and private sectors should pay special attentions to improve the aspects of the illness perception, employment, care takers, wheelchair disable person’s individual needs and the improvement of suitable and sufficient convenient facilities for the disable persons in wheelchairs. The deficiency of the convenient facilities for the wheelchair disable persons in the areas of Bangkok Metropolitan and surrounding provinces were 1) the design of the sloping paths were not convenient and not suitable for wheelchair, 2) the road surfaces and footpaths were not evened and not well-paved which obstructed the wheelchair disable persons to travel, 3) the bus stops and the bus boarding entrances were found not designed for wheelchair, 4) the classroom buildings, footpaths and other buildings on the university campus did not provided sufficient convenient facilities for the wheelchair disable persons, 5) the parking spaces were not in good condition which can be dangerous the disable person in a wheelchair, 6) no elevators in some train sub-stations, elevators are only in the main train stations, 7) most public sector buildings are not designed and not available for wheelchair disable persons to make a contact with or use the services.