This study was conducted to obtain a clearer understanding of the functional status of children in rural Cambodia with disabilities, and to learn how families perceived and used relevant services for their children. Using existing databases, a survey was conducted targeting caregivers of 500 identified children with different types of disabilities, in two rural Cambodian provinces. Although 25% of the children with disabilities had difficulty seeing, almost none wore glasses. 42% of the children had difficulty with movement, but only half of that group used a mobility aid. Parents also reported that many children had trouble hearing, speaking, understanding, playing or talking to others, learning at school, remembering or concentrating on tasks, and holding or using objects. Many children had difficulty with activities because of emotional problems (53%) or pain (42%). Of the school-aged children, 55% had attended some school, and most of them had only attended one or two grades.
Some needed services and equipment are available but not always used by families, and other needed resources are currently unavailable. Barriers that need to be overcome are both informational and practical (e.g. financial) in nature. Strategies to meet needs should include assertive outreach, a coordinated mix of public and private providers, and greater involvement of families in problem-solving and decision-making.