Background and Objectives

  In Honduras, only a few rehabilitation centers have provided social participation services consistent with the International Classification of Functioning (ICF). The goal of this study were to describe how people with disabilities (PWD) felt a need to participate in society, and to clarify what aspects of social participation were of interest to PWD.

Methods

  A survey was conducted in a rehabilitation facility operated by the Intibucá department in Honduras. A semi-structured interview was conducted people with physical disabilities who attended the facility to analyze their needs and state of social participation.

Results

  In total, 22 PWDs participated in this study. Data analysis showed that the needs of PWD were classified into six categories: Improving the Social Environment, Improving Physical Function and Activities of daily living Ability, Reacquiring Work and Productive Activities, Acquiring Home Activities, Spending Time with Family, and Resuming Leisure Activities. Six participants were employed, and those who were unemployed were also limited in their community participation other than work.

Conclusion

  This study revealed that PWD in the Intibucá Department missed opportunities to participate in the community. PWD stated that improved physical functioning was essential for achieving social participation. Rehabilitation professionals need to develop shared decision-making based on an understanding of the social context of PWD, and both rehabilitation professionals and local community supporters working with PWD should partner with other professionals to support the social participation of PWD.

Introduction

  Asahikawa Medical University (AMU) has conducted a 7-week JICA training course “Health Systems Management for Regional and District Health Management Officers” since 2008 and trained a total of 132 participants from 22 countries. In order to assess how trainees applied their public health knowledge and skills obtained through the training course to their communities, we conducted interviews in Kenya, Malawi, and Liberia to explore their current public health problems and to identify what programs are required for our further training course to improve their health system.

Methods

  Among 29 trainees in three countries in total, 15 were face-to-face interviewed and 6 were phone-interviewed on February 2019. The rest was missing but we identified five of their current position.

Results

  The trainees made best use of knowledge and skills obtained from following lectures and/or field trips in their communities, such as “Project Cycle Management”, “Maternal and child health”, “Public health centers’ visit”, “Waste management including water supply and sewage treatment”, “School health”, “Tele-medicine”, and “5S-KAIZEN”. They also requested us to provide following lectures and field visits to tackle with their future health problems, such as “Japan’s experience to achieve the Universal Health Coverage”, “Health system strengthening”, “Disaster medicine and management”, “Non-communicable diseases”, and “Capacity development”.

Discussion & Conclusions

  By face-to-face or phone interviews in three countries, we grasped ideas of current health problems and verified an effectiveness of our training programs in each country. We also helped the trainees, their co-workers, community people (volunteers) to increase the motivation of their relevant works and activities through the field visit. Therefore, in order to provide a better training program, we further need to enhance international cooperation between us and African countries as well as to strengthen our training capacities including regular follow-up systems to ex-trainees.