The overall impact on the daily life of people with disabilities in Mainland China: two cross-sectional studies

Abstract

Abstract Background COVID-2019 has become a public health crisis, and as a vulnerable group, people with disabilities (PWDs) might be more seriously affected. However, the overall impact of COVID-19 on PWDs is unclear in Mainland China. Thus, we aimed to analyze the overall impact on PWDs from the early remission stage to the regular control stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mainland China. Methods In March 2020 and March 2021, anonymous questionnaires were distributed in the WeChat group of the PWDs using a convenient sampling method. The personal and family characteristics, perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, and the overall impact of COVID-19 on daily life and medical services needs were collected. The descriptive analysis, chi-square test, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used. Results 311 and 1083 PWDs were enrolled in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In 2020, 82.0% of the participants reported a negative impact on their daily life, and the proportion of big impact was 20.3%. In 2021, 73.1% of PWDs reported a negative impact on their daily life. Multivariate analysis found the impact on medical services needs was the common associated factor of the overall impact on daily life in 2020 and 2021, and PWDs with lower annual household income or chronic diseases were more likely to suffer bigger negative effects in 2020, while being in quarantine or not at work, having items in shortage and with less disability severity (without multiple disabilities or spinal cord injury) were the associated factors in 2021. Based on the matching method, we found that the overall impact on the daily life of PWDs decreased in 2021. Conclusions A majority of the PWDs reported a negative impact on their daily life in Mainland China at the early remission stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact has significantly weakened during the normal control period in 2021. It is recommended to fulfill the medical service needs of PWDs in a timely manner, and those being in quarantine or not at work, without SCI or multiple disabilities, and reporting some items in shortage suffered a bigger major overall COVID-19 impact on daily life.