Requirements for and Barriers to Rehabilitation Services for Children With Disabilities in Middle- and High-Income Countries: Scoping Review

Abstract

Background:The rehabilitation of children with disabilities has received considerable attention from the United Nations. However, the state of rehabilitation services for disabled children worldwide remains far from optimistic, even in economically affluent middle-and high-income countries.Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify the rehabilitation needs of children with disabilities and their barriers to rehabilitation services in middle-and high-income countries. Methods:We searched Medline and Web of Science for studies published between 2013 and 2023, generating 11,724 articles. After removing duplicates and reviewing the abstract, 76 articles were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, 27 articles were included in the review after full-text screening and selection. Results:The suitability, availability, and affordability of rehabilitation services were identified as the major needs and barriers for children with disabilities in middle-and high-income countries. This included communication barriers, a lack of personnel and facilities, and the stagnation and inadequacy of economic subsidies.Conclusions: Middle-and high-income countries have relatively well-established rehabilitation infrastructure and support systems. They are nevertheless insufficient for meeting the needs of children with disabilities. More attention should be paid to these issues to improve the well-being of children with disabilities. The data provided by this review can help raise awareness of rehabilitation needs and barriers at the policy level.