Prevalence of children with special needs and associated factors in Biyagama MOH Area

Abstract

This was a community based descriptive .cross sectional study and was conducted from 01/09/2007 to 31/09/2007. Simple random sampling was used and 1120 subjects were identified for the study and 1072 participated in the study. Interviewer administered structured questionnaire based on questionnaire used in US Census 2000 consisting of a majority of close ended questions was used for the data collection. Ten pre interns were used as data collectors. Data was analyzed using SPSS 13 computer package. Thirteen point six percent (95 percent CI: 11.55-15.65) of the subjects were having special needs. Twelve point seven percent (95 percent CI: 10.7-14.6) of them were learning disabilities. Out of the 12.7 percent that were having learning disabilities, 4 percent (95 percent CI: 3.76- 4.24) were having specific learning disabilities and 10.6 percent (95 percent CI: 8.75-12.44) Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). One point two percent (95 percent CI: 1.13 - 1.27) were having blindness/visual impairments, 1.1 percent (95 percent CI: 1.03- 1.16) speech impairment, 0.7 percent (95 percent CI: 0.65-0.74) deafness/hearing impairments and, 0.5 percent (95 percent CI : 0.65-0.74) deafness/ hearing impairments and 0.5 percent (95 percent CI: 0.47- 0.53) inability to ambulate effectively. Five of the children with special needs ( 3.4 percent) were having co-morbidities